Tied Together
by emackenzie
Summary: My take on what could have happened. Logan turns up missing, and Veronica has to deal with the fall out of her actions.
1. Chapter 1

This is my first Veronica Mars story. I just finished re-watching the series, and couldn't help but wonder what would have happened to all those people I fell in love with. So like most stories, an idea popped into my head, and I put my fingers to work, and this is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it.

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Two weeks, that was all it took for things to come crashing down around her, and it reality it wasn't even that long, just eleven days. Everything had been perfect, so perfect that she knew it wouldn't last long, but you couldn't blame a girl for hoping.

Veronica had been in Virginia, interning for the FBI for the summer, it was her dream, and she was so happy to finally be living it, to be away from Neptune and all the drama. When everything had happened with Professor Landry during the school year, she had reconsidered actually going. The man that had been accused of murdering the Dean of Hearst, and then actually killing his wife, was the same person that had pushed her into landing the internship. It felt almost dirty to take it. But then her father had carefully left Dean O'Dell's letter out on the counter one night, and his words reminded her that she deserved this, she needed this.

So much had happened in the days before she had left Neptune. Her boyfriend Piz and her had gotten into a fight, one that seemed never ending most days. Her father didn't get reelected as Sheriff in the special elections although the prosecutor's office did drop the charges, the almost sex tape of her circled the campus, tracking down who did it, and Logan, everything always seemed to end with him. But in the end all of them could be blamed on her, there were so many mistakes that she made, mistakes that had ended up costing her father the election, and hoping Logan in danger.

She had often wondered if she had been more honest with her dad, if that would have helped, if things would have turned out differently. But she knew that much like the night at Shelly's party, the tape was something that she couldn't discuss with him. She also knew that thinking back on it wasn't going to change anything.

Then there was Logan. She had asked him, she was almost begged him to leave it be. He had apologized for beating the crap out of Piz, for thinking that he would make a tape of them together. But the second that Gory Sorokin had mouthed off to her, the second Logan didn't listen to her, it all seemed like a dream. She could still picture Gory laying on the floor in the food court, Logan smirking down at him, while her face held an expression of horror and her stomach dropped. How could he not see what he had just done? How could he not understand what she meant when she said he was connected? Why did he always have to be so, so Logan?

But everything that had happened before she had left Neptune, all lead up to the phone call she was receiving.

"Well, well, look who's calling me in the middle of the day." Veronica laughed, picking up her phone. She had just gotten off the train, and the station around her buzzed with rush hour. "Things can't be that slow." It was nearly six o'clock there and that meant that it was still prime working time back home.

"Veronica-" her father started but her mood was too good to let him go on.

"Dad, you really wouldn't believe it here." There was something about rush hour that she loved, all the people going in so many different directions, different things waiting for them all. She loved to sit and people watch after a long day of getting coffee and shredding papers. "There are always people around. I know that they say that New York is the city that never sleeps, but I bet these people could give them a run for their money."

"Veronica-" he started again.

"I was at the office today, shredding another box of nothing, I swear they give nothing interesting to us, when I realized that this is the longest we've ever been apart." She sighed. It was hard to be so far away from her dad, especially after everything that had happened with the election, and story. All her father ever tried to do was protect her, and she had always made that more difficult that necessary. "It's weird, and I do miss you, but I love it here so much that I hardly have time to notice."

"Veronica." He said this time with a little more force.

"Dad!" She said back trying to mimic his tone, but not quite catching the seriousness in his voice. "Okay, okay, I'll stop rambling so you can tell me why you're calling me in the middle of the day, I'm guessing from the office none the less. My mouth will be zipped and locked." With a dramatic sigh, she closed her mouth and waited for her father.

"Veronica, Logan is missing."


	2. Chapter 2

It was in that simple sentence that everything seemed to crash down around her, her whole world froze in time. The busy street in front of her disappeared, all she could hear was her father's words and her heart pounding. She could feel her chest constrict, her breaths coming in short and fast. With everything that had taken place before she left, she knew it was true and she knew where to point her finger. But she also knew this was serious, a lot more so than anyone else would take it.

The tears were building up but she did not have time for them. She knew how time sensitive this was. "How long?" she whispered after a long moment.

"Almost 24 hours." Keith Mars told his daughter. He hated delving this news over the phone, even at all. But he knew her, and he knew there were things that had happened before she left for the summer that she couldn't share with him. He also knew how much Logan had meant to her over the years. "I wanted to tell you before Vinnie calls." He had asked Vinnie VanLowe, as a personal favor, to let him talk to Veronica first.

"What do you know?" Veronica asked. Her mind going into overdrive as she quickly made her way to the place she was staying in. She couldn't wait for crosswalk signs, and red lights, dodging cars as she went.

"Not much." He sighed. "Veronica, is this for real?" he had to ask. "Both Dick and Parker said they had summer plans. I hate to ask, but you know I need to." He didn't need to, but he knew Vinnie, the active sheriff, did.

"It's real." She told him. If she could only tell him everything she had learned from the hard drive she had stolen from Jake Kane. "Check the security tapes at the Grand, the elevator, hallways, lobby and parking lot. Check with the valet, and there is a blond girl that works at the front counter, talk to her." She breathed out. "And book me a flight home."

"Veronica." He pleaded, this is what he had been worried about.

"Dad, this is serious." She tried to convey her meaning in her tone, knowing he would understand. "Please, just find something, anything."

"Okay." He could hear it in her voice. "I'll call you with the flight information."

"I love you dad." She whispered before ending the call.

It only took her seconds to figure out what she was going to do. Sitting on the edge of her bed, looking around the small space for a few moments was what she needed to gather her strength and thoughts, so she could replay that last conversation she had with him.

_"Are you ever going to listen to me? Are you ever going to believe, that I might know better, that I do know better than you?" she yelled when he opened the door. "I told you to leave it alone, I told you he was connected, but you had something to prove didn't you? You always have something to prove!"_

_"Nice to see you too." Logan said, stepping to the side as Veronica pushed his way into the hotel room. "Oh yes, please come in." his hand going through his hair while she stormed past him._

_"What part of 'he's connected', did you not get?" Veronica glared at him._

_"The part where I didn't care?" Logan asked with his half smile. _

_"They kill people for less Logan, his family, they've killed people!" her eyes filled with tears. "Why?"_

_"What? You're not making any sense." Logan shook his head, grabbing her by the elbow to pull her into a hug as she began to cry harder. This was something new, seeing her cry. "Shhh…it's okay." He whispered to her._

_It was a gentle kiss on the top of her head that reminded her of what situation, pushing him back, wiping the tears away. "No, it's not. You've pissed off some seriously dangerous people!"_

_He didn't say anything, he just looked at her._

_"Lay low, just promise me you'll lay low until we know nothing will happen." She begged him. "Please."_

She had options and she needed to figure out which one was the best. What would help them the most in finding him, alive and in one piece? But that still moment was all she had before she began to hastily pack her clothes, camera, books and other necessities.

Minutes, that's how long it took her to pack, turn in her key and hail a taxi. In those minutes Veronica felt like days had passed, her mind going over every possibility. But while she sat in the back of the cab, wide eyed and paled faced she dialed his number repeatedly. Hearing his voice mail was all she had to keep her calm, to keep her mind from going to the dark places. Fourteen times, that how many time she called him before finally giving up and trying a new number.

"This is Mills." It was the voice she had heard every day since she had arrived in D.C.

"Hi, it's Veronica." She was able to keep her emotions in check now.

"Did you forget your wallet again?" the woman laughed.

"No, I'm really sorry to do this, but something has happened back home and I have to return immediately." the words seemed so unreal coming from her mouth. "I left the key and my id tag at the front desk, I'm sorry."

"What?" this had obviously never happened before. They turned people away, not had them leaving. "I am going to need a better reason."

Veronica sighed and watched out the window, the airport in the far distance. What would it hurt to tell her? She was FBI, it could be like a trail run for admitting the truth to her father. And with a deep breath she began her tail, skipping over details that didn't seem important, hitting on all the parts that actually mattered, finding out Gory Sorokin's family secret, Logan being mad about his releasing the tape and the quick punches that were thrown. "And now he's missing."

"Sorokin?" Mills asked. "I know that name."

"I'm sorry, but I have to go back." Veronica could fell the tears building up again, her throat becoming tight with a sob building.

"Look, there aren't a lot of people left in the office today, give me the kids name and number, I'll see if I can find a trace on the cell phone." Mills told her.

"Thank you." Veronica chocked out before rattling off the information.

"I'll let you know if I find anything." She said before hanging up.

Her next phone call was one of necessity, not one she wanted to make.

"Hello?" the voice asked slowly.

"Dick." Veronica wanted to sound normal, she needed to.

"Ronnie, that you?" Dick give a nervous laugh. "I guess your dad called and told you."

"Has his room been searched?" she asked, anger starting to take hold. Dick had known for nearly two days and hadn't bothered to call and let her know.

"No, just your dad." Dick told her. "The new sheriff said without a sign of struggle he had to wait the whole 24 hours, even then he doesn't think anything's up."

"Okay, before they get there, I need you to get something for me. It's in the night stand, there are some business cards. I need them."

"You want me to snoop through his room?" he asked. "Uncool V, that breaks the roomie code."

"Dick, I want to find him, alive." Veronica snapped, allowing her emotions to show for a moment. "Are you in the hotel?"

"Yeah, opening the night stand now." Dick sighed. "I've never really taken orders from you before. I always pictured it being a lot otter and half naked. Shit there are like 100 cards in here."

"Taped to the top, there should be some taped to the top." She told him. Logan was forever receiving business cards, lawyers, agents, accounts, everything wanted him to know them but he didn't want to know them. Veronica on the other hand had found a way to put those cares to use, names of respected people came in handy when making fake phone calls. But the important numbers were saved, taped up nicely where no one would find them.

"Got'em." Dick announced.

"Good, now get out of his room and read me the names."

Dick read off the six business names, and the numbers of each card.

"None of those are right." She sighed. "What about on the back anything on the back?"

"There's a number on the back of this hotel one."

"Send me a picture please." She told him as the cab slowed towards the entrance of the airport. "And keep the cards in your wallet. Please, Dick."

"Okay, no need to beg." Dick tired to laugh but it failed.

"I'll be back soon." Veronica told him before hanging up. She had barely paid the cab driver before her phone went off, her dad's name and number displayed on the front. "When do I leave?" she asked opening the phone.

"Within the hour, if you can be there." He told her.

"I'm already here." She told him.

"Veronica, sweetie, is there anything else you can tell me?" he asked.

"I wish I could dad. But I promise to tell you everything the second I land." Her smile was sad. "Just please, do anything and everything."

"Of course. I'll see you when you land." He told her.

Veronica hurried through checking in, not stopping to question about the fee for checking her bag, or watching the others around her go through security. Her plane would be leaving in 38 minutes and counting. And by the time she reached her gate, they were almost done loading the flight. Finding her seat, and ignoring everything around her, she looked at the picture Dick had sent her, the number scribbled on the back of a card from a hotel she had been to forever ago. The number was maybe her only hope.

Two rings, that's all it took before someone answered.

"I didn't give you this number ever expecting you to use it." The voice came, sharp and to the point.

"I didn't think I would ever need to use it." Veronica shot back.

"Then why are you? Haven't you already caused enough problems?" he asked.

"This is serious." She whispered, looking down the ail, the flight attendant was getting closer, she knew everyone around her were powering off their phones.

"Mars, the last time I saw you, was when you were returning a hard drive after breaking and entering. Why would I want to help you?" he asked.

"Because this goes back to why, what I learned, and your boss." Veronica told him.

"You've got two minutes, explain." He told her.

"Gory Sorokin, member of the Castle sent a video of my boyfriend and I fooling around, that's why I took the hard drive, I was trying to get him back, not uncover ALL of that. Logan got mad, punched him and now he's missing. Do you expect me to believe there is no connection there?" Veronica explained.

"Logan Echolls?" he asked.

"The one and only." Veronica told him.

"Why are you calling me?" he asked.

"Because who else is going to be able to find him?" she asked. "Jake Kane knows him, he controls the members right now."

"You have no clue what you're talking about, or even if this person is involved."

"Logan doesn't deserve to be hurt over any of this." She told him, the desperation audible. "Please."

"This doesn't concern me." He said before the line went dead, and the flight attendant gave her a stern look.

"Phones off." She warned Veronica.

"Sorry." Veronica whispered, brushing a single tear aside before allowing all her thoughts and fears to take over. It was a long flight back, and she had nothing to keep her reassured that things would be fine. If he wouldn't help her find Logan, she wasn't sure if she would ever be able to find him.


	3. Chapter 3

The flight was long, and Veronica was nervous. She couldn't stop jotting down words, ideas on the back of a napkin she had gotten from the flight attendant who was passing out drinks. If Clarence wouldn't help her, she needed to make a new plan. She knew that she was going to have to tell her dad, and maybe even Vinnie about what had happened, how Logan punched Gory, and then Gory threatened him and most importantly, about she had heard on his confession tape for the Castle. She knew that she would have better luck with Vinnie believing her, than she would if Lamb were still alive.

"Coming or going?" The woman seated next to her asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"Excuse me?" Veronica asked, looking over at her. She didn't look much older and Veronica herself. She knew that she was still in college, by the university sweatshirt she was wearing.

"Are you headed home, or leaving home?" she asked, pushing her glasses up her nose a little.

"Going." Veronica tried to give her a small smile but it was hard to fake emotions with all the thoughts filling her head. "What about you?" It wasn't in her nature to be rude to someone that didn't deserve it.

"Both." The girl laughed. "I grew up in California, but my family moved about six years ago. I fly back and spend the summer with my grandparents, so I guess it depends on how you look at it."

"Oh." Veronica said, looking back down at her paper.

"So why are you going home?" the girl asked after a long pause. "You got to college in California, shouldn't you be enjoying your summer?"

"How'd you know?" Veronica asked, looking down at what she was wearing. Nothing about her screamed college student. She was dressed for a day at the F.B.I., still in her pant suit, with her hair pulled back in a high ponytail.

"Hearst pen." She said pointing to the pen Veronica had dug out of her bag. "My best friend's brother goes there. Small world, I know." She laughed again.

Veronica sighed, looking at the pen, it was one that she had gotten from Piz. It was in that moment that she realized she hadn't even let her boyfriend know she was leaving. They had plans to meet up over the weekend, he was going to come down and see her for a day. Now he's be showing up to an empty room, with no sign of her in sight. She had no idea how'd she even start to explain her actions to him.

_Hey Piz, Logan's missing, so I'm dropping everything I worked for to come home and wait for him to show up. Sorry I didn't tell you when I found out._

She knew that wouldn't work, that would crush his heart, and that wasn't what she wanted to do. She liked Piz, a lot. She liked that she could trust him, that he hadn't hurt her, and she mostly liked the way she felt when his whole face would change the second he saw her. It was good to have that, he was the opposite of Logan, and that's what she had needed.

With Logan there was always something coming between them, always something they could allow to push them apart. Whether it be his careless behavior, his night with her sworn enemy, or her lack of trust, it was always there between them. They had so much history and baggage together that it made it hard. With Piz it was easy; it was nice, and predictable.

But she knew that coming home was going to add fuel to the fire that was already burning between them. Before they had left, Parker had cried on Piz's shoulder, and Piz took her woes back to Veronica, who in return didn't take well to the idea of Logan still being in love with her, let alone her being in love with him. They fought about it, a lot those last few days in Neptune. But she had hoped that with some time and distance between them they would be seeing things more clearly, which wasn't the case in point now.

She knew that she was going to have to think of what to say to Piz, and she was finally grateful for the long flight she was on, because it gave her time to focus on something other than Logan and Gory Sorokin.


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you guys for the reviews! It really means a lot to know you like what you've read so far!

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Keith meet her at baggage, the first thing he did was pull her into a hug, knowing that she needed it. Most people couldn't read his daughter the way he could, so most people didn't see her fingers tapping together, they would see that as a tick, but he knew it was her way to keep calm, focused. They wouldn't notice the way her eyes darted around the airport, or how she couldn't stop fiddling with the charm on her necklace.

"Hi honey." He whispered, holding her tight.

The comfort that she found in her father's arm was something that she had been craving since the moment he had told her about Logan. There were few people that could make her feel any better, and Keith was on the top of that list.

"Anything?" she asked, but sighed and looked sideways when he shook his head. "Did you check the tapes?" She needed somewhere to start.

"I checked everything, and Vinnie and the guys are taking the case now as well." He told her, as they waited for the bags. They stood silent, until the bags started to come around. "Are those yours?" he asked, already reaching for the bags he knew belonged to her.

Nothing, was it hopeless? The words _woodshop _kept playing through her head. Veronica couldn't allow herself to think that. Maybe Mills had found something, maybe there was something that her father had missed, this couldn't be the end.

"Can we go to the Neptune Grand?" Veronica whispered, as they walked out of the airport together.

"I figured that'd be the first place you'd want to go." He nodded. He wanted to talk to her, he wanted her to tell her everything she was holding back, but he couldn't push her. He knew that the second he saw tears he wouldn't be able to remain calm, and everything about this situation screamed tears.

He opened the car door for her, and waited for her to get in, while loading her bags into the back. "Did you have a chance to let Mac or anyone know you were coming back?"

She knew that he was trying to make small talk, trying to keep her mind off Logan, off all the dark places it had been the whole flight. But she was too far gone to come out now. All she could do was shake her head, and watch out the window as they drove back to Neptune. She hadn't thought about calling anyone, and even if she could it wouldn't have done much good. Wallace was in Africa for the summer, volunteering with Invisible Children.

It was nearly two in the morning when they arrived at the Neptune Grand, police cars parked out front, and camera crews littered the lobby with the paparazzi. Questions were being thrown out at her, at anyone, about Logan.

Veronica easily spotted a face she recognized, hiding behind the desk, gawking at the reporters. "Ratner!" she pointed at him, closing in, the fear clear in his eyes. She could vaguely remember him saying something about summer classes, which meant he had been on campus, around the rumor mill.

"I didn't do anything." He shot back at her, when she got closer to the desk. "I've already been questioned, as has the rest of the staff."

Veronica watched him for a moment, allowing herself to balance out her emotions. "That's not why I'm looking at you."

"What are you even doing in Neptune, I thought you had that big fancy internship with the F.B.I." he crossed his arms in front of his chest, and waited. "Don't tell me you came all the way back, leaving the F.B.I. for Logan?" he laughed, one that she was sure she was going to hear for a lot of people.

"My business." She snapped at him. "You're taking summer classes, right?" she asked getting on with her question.

"What does that have to do with anything?" he asked.

"It means you're on campus, while I've been on the other side of the country." Veronica stated. "This means you have heard things, I obviously have not, you have seen people I have not."

"That happens on a daily biases, despite the state you may be in." he rolled his eyes at her.

"Where you in the café, the day Logan punched that guy?" Veronica asked in a whisper, knowing her dad could hear her, but the reports wouldn't.

"No, I wasn't, but I heard about it. Everyone on campus heard about it." He told her, as then as though a light bulb went off in his head he seemed to understand, looking around at everyone. "Why don't I escort you up to the room?" he offered.

Veronica nodded her head at him, and waited for her father to follow into the elevator, police allowing them through with the hotel escort.

"Sorokin? That's the guys name, right?" Jeff Ratner asked the moment the doors dinged closed.

"Why did Logan punch someone?" her father asked.

"Not enough time, to long of a story." Veronica said quickly to her dad. "Has he been on campus, have you heard anything about him?" she wanted to know, maybe Clarence was right, maybe he didn't have anything to do with it, but in her gut she knew the connection was here.

"I haven't, but I know someone that took Russian History with him, that's how I heard about it fight." Ratner explained. "How the hell did Logan get tangled up with him?"

"That video, he's the one that sent it." Veronica sighed, looking at her dad, who was even more in the dark than before. "Logan found out." She didn't feel like she needed to explain what he had done, it was very Logan of him. As far back as she can remember he's always thought that his fists could solve his problems.

"What video?" Keith asked, looking at his daughter. It wasn't often that he wasn't able to piece together a conversation like this, but he knew that he was missing a lot of the background information.

"So you think he had something to do with Logan missing?"

"I know he does." Veronica looked at him. But before she could say anymore the doors dinged opened, and they were greeted by even more police in the hallway.

"Mr. and Ms. Mars are here to see Dick Casablancas." Jeff said as they stepped out of the elevator.

"Good, we've got questions for her." Vinnie said pushing through the offices as they made their way into the hotel room.

"Save it." Veronica said putting her hand up to stop Vinnie, they each had the power to ruin each other, each tied to a secret that would destroy them. That's what happens when you help someone get out of the country with a baby.

"Ronnie!" Dick said in relief at the sight of her.

"Veronica?" Parker asked from the couch, her eyes were red and puffy, a tissue stuck out of her hand.

"You didn't call me!" Mac said getting up from comforting Parker to hug Veronica. "I didn't know you were coming back."

"I didn't really have time." Veronica whispered, suddenly confused and angry. How long did Mac know? She, just like Dick, hadn't bothered to call and let her know what was going on. And Mac knew just as well as Veronica did that Gory Sorokin wasn't one to be crossed. How could her best friend not tell her? And just like Jeff's laugh in the lobby, Veronica suddenly realized what she had done. She had left the F.B.I. to come home, and for what? Her and Logan were barely even friends at the moment. Parker had the right to be here, she was his girlfriend, they were doing so well together, not Veronica. All she had ever done was push him away, and bring out the worse side she could in him. "Do we know anything?" she asked, turning to look at Deputy Sacks, the only person she would trust to know what was really going on.

"We found his car, abandoned at the beach, his surf board and things still inside. There was no sign of a struggle, but there were fresh skid marks on the spot next to his." Sacks explained. "Other than that, we have nothing."

"I just, I don't understand. He wouldn't just leave without telling someone," Parker cried. "Who would want to hurt him?"

Veronica had to hide an eye roll at Parker's comment. How much did she know her boyfriend? Just about everyone that had ever met Logan had a reason to want to hurt him in one way or another. He had a smart mouth, and liked to throw his money in everyone's face, everyone that was below him. But she couldn't think about Parker. She looked around the room and sighed. Logan had gone to the beach, that was something he did almost daily in the summer. She just needed time, she needed time to find Gory Sorokin.

"Can I use the bathroom?" she asked, pointing towards Logan's door. She didn't catch the look that Parker threw her as she hurried away from the room of waiting people.

Logan's room had been torn apart, the business cards scattered on the bed, but she didn't need those. It was his computer, sitting on his desk, locked that she wanted. Before going into the bathroom she grabbed it, and locked the door behind her. On the edge of the tub she sat carefully, waiting while the screen came to life.

"If only I didn't know." She whispered while typing in his password, his mothers name, Lilly's middle name, and Veronica's birthday, odd to some, normal to her. Those were the three most important women in his life.

She could access the sites she needed from his computer, knowing this was her next step.

"Okay Sorokin, let's find out who you are." She said typing the last name into the search bar. She knew enough to already be concerned about the information that would appear, but what she found she wasn't sure she was ready for.

Nothing on the screen looked good, tickets, assault, a number of other things littered the page, but all charges had been dropped. There was one thing Gory and Logan had in common, money had gotten them off, but Veronica feared that was all they had in common.

"Veronica." Mac called from the other side of the door, with a gentle knock.

"Mac." Veronica said hurriedly, leaving the computer to finish its search while letting her friend in. "I need your help." She whispered, turning on the water not wanting to be over heard.

"As always." Mac nodded, "What are you doing in the bathroom? Is that Logan's computer? Shouldn't they search it?"

"I need to know everything we can find on Gorya Sorokin." Veronica told her, showing Mac the screen. She was the only person that Veronica could trust with this, the only one that would be able to do a better job than she could.

"You mean the guy from the Kane hard drive?" Mac asked, looking at the screen.

Veronica nodded. "You heard what he said on that video, you know just as well as I do, that he's the one we need to find."

"Veronica." Mac looked scared. "Do you really think he has Logan?" Mac had always known that Veronica had seen a lot of dark things in her short life. She had been on the roof that night with Cassidy, there wasn't much darker than that. But the video they had watched, it had been enough to scare Mac.

"Has he offended anyone else since I left?" Veronica asked. "I need all the dirty Q, everything and anything you can find."

"I'm on it, but not his computer. I'll need mine, and red bull." She sighed. "I should probably call Max too. I'll have him meet me here, _Parker_ needs the support."

"Thank you." Veronica smiled at her friend, knowing the hidden accusations were there.

All it had taken was seeing Parker on the couch to remind Veronica of her place in Logan's life. She had told Logan that they were done, that he was out of her life. She had seen Parker leave the hotel room in tears, basically asking Veronica if she was there to hook up with Logan. It stung to think that Veronica had put the finally nail in the coffin of their relationship. Parker had made it clear that she was the reason she had to end things with Logan. All of it reminded Veronica that she didn't have the right to be there, but she couldn't turn off her emotions, she couldn't make it stop.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Someone asked about Parker and the break up. Yes they broke up, just like in the show. But remember that this is all taking place, maybe three to four weeks after Logan punched Gory. So the hope of the Logan/Parker relationship is still there. I am not saying it's going to happen, but in her mind, she still cares about Logan a lot. It will become more clear at the story progresses.**

Vinnie's questions had been standard, and Veronica knew that she could have come up with better questions in high school, but this was Vinnie VanLowe she was dealing with after all. She wasn't ready to tell him everything, she wasn't ready to go there, knowing the darkness of the night and her thoughts would swallow her whole. Her silence seemed to be enough to drive the officers from the room, allowing her to start her own investigation.

"This is where they found his car?" Veronica asked, looking at the spot she was sure she had seen his car in before. There weren't a lot of people at the beach this early, but the spot she wanted to see sat empty.

"Yeah, this is where he always parked. You know how he is, he likes to park in the same place." Dick sighed. It was early morning, and cold. None of them had really been able to sleep, and Veronica had demanded that Dick show her where the car was found the second it was light enough out to see.

"When did he go surfing?" she wondered as she started to walk around, looking at everything she could see, the beach, how far the water was, the skid marks.

"I already told the cops all this stuff Mars." He sighed, but when she glared at him, he continued. "I don't know, he left sometime that afternoon. He hadn't been in weeks, he asked if I wanted to go, but I was busy with my dad."

"And you became worried when?" she asked.

"The next morning?" he offered. "I went back to the room and he hadn't been back. I tried his phone and it went straight to voice mail. When his message didn't change, I knew something was wrong."

"And you didn't think to call me?" she whispered, angry, no one thought to call her, and that was her own fault.

"How was I suppose to know that you'd drop everything and be here?" he asked. "I expected it from Parker, that's why I told her."

His words stung more than he would ever be able to understand. But she couldn't allow them to affect her now. She couldn't allow the image of Parker in the hotel room crying, affect her.

"Sacks said there was no sign of a struggle." She whispered to herself, trying to go over what she knew, and what she thought had happened. She looked out at the beach that already had families and people on it, then back to the tire tracks that Sacks had mentioned, before looking back down the beach. "This place would have been packed, no one saw anything, because everyone would have seen it."

"What?" Dick asked.

"Whatever happened was in the middle of the day, in front of everyone, but no one reported anything, because no one saw anything." she sighed. "It wasn't here. His car was left here, he wasn't here."

"But-" Dick pointed.

"He wouldn't have wanted to go surfing here, in the middle of summer, at a crowded beach." Veronica told him. "Where would he have wanted to go?"

Dick was silent for a moment while he thought about it, her words slowly sinking in and the story making more sense. He knew that his best friend would put a fight if someone had tried to take him. He wasn't the type of person to just sit back and take it. "The rocks." Dick said, snapping his fingers and pointing down the beach. "We always surf there during the busy times. Better waves, less people, more ass."

"And parking?" she asked.

"Right off the road." He smiled.

"Let's go." Veronica told him, getting back into the car. This is what she needed to be doing, she needed to be busy, she needed to be trying to find him. Most girls would be like Parker, Parker was a normal girl, crying, worried, trying to understand what was going on. But Veronica was far from normal. She didn't have the time to cry, and she couldn't just sit back and wait while time passed them by. She needed to be trying to find him. "Hey dad." She said calling her father, who had left her plenty of messages in the time they left the hotel to now.

"Veronica, where are you?" he asked, worried.

"He wasn't at the beach, not where they found his car." Veronica explained. "Why would he go to a crowded beach to surf?"

"I don't know. Have you slept at all?"

"Dad, I need to do this." She told him. "Dick is taking me to the place, I'll call the sheriff's office once we're there, and tell them."

"Don't bother." He sighed. "I turned your GPS on hours ago, I'll tell Vinnie to send someone over."

"Thanks dad." She said before hanging up.

"Ronnie?" Dick asked quietly.

"Yeah?" she looked over at him.

"Who would want to take Logan?" he asked, and for the first time Veronica was able to see him as a child he had once been, he looked like a scared little boy looking for his lost teddy bear, or blanket, something he needed to get through the night.

"I wish I could explain it all." She sighed knowing that her words would fail her. "How was Logan?"

"You mean since him and Parker, or since you left town?" Dick asked, his serious look replaced by his normal goofy expression.

"Both?" she asked.

"He's been moody, not like the last time you two split, but definitely a shut in." Dick explained. "He didn't' really go out at all once classes were over. I think going surfing was the first time he left the room actually."

"Anything else going on?" she asked. She was slightly relieved to know that he did finally listen to her. He was trying to lay low, stay away from trouble. But it didn't matter because he had gone out, and now he was gone.

"No, I mean, I wasn't really around, with my dad back and all." Dick explained.

"Yeah, how's that going?" she asked. She didn't really care, but she felt like it was the right thing to ask.

"It's going." He sighed, shaking his head before getting back on topic. "This is the place." He said pulling off to the side of the road.

There was just enough room to park a few cars, and Veronica could already see the path that would lead down to the beach. It was the broken board close to the pathway that caught her eye before she had even gotten out of the car. "Keep the car running." She told Dick before getting out of the car and making her way towards the board.

It was hard to know what she was looking at. The broken surf board was something, but she had no idea if it was Logan's. She could only picture one of his boards in her mind but she knew that he had more than one, and that Sack's said all his things were found in his car. If that was true, than maybe this board wasn't his.

"Dick, come here." She knew that Dick would have a better idea of what she found.

"What's up?" he asked, jogging over to her. Looking at what she saw, he put his hands in his back pockets.

"Look familiar?" Veronica asked. She wanted to pick it up, but if it was Logan she didn't want to touch it. She didn't need Vinnie hauling her in his first month on.

"That's a harsh break." Dick said bending over to look at the board closer. "But I don't think its Logan's."

They would have to wait for the police to show up and explain their theory before they could leave. And she was okay with that because now she needed to form another plan, maybe her last plan because she was starting to run low on ideas, and out of time.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: In response to some reviews, I just want to say that I love Dick! He has to be one of the most interesting people on the show, and I think it's because we were just starting to get to know him as more than Logan's bestfriend when the show ended. I have a hard time writing him as such a dumb blond! **

When Veronica had returned to the hotel, she finally told her dad everything, from the tape to the hard drive. She explained why she had been in Jake Kane's house, as well as the secret she and Mac discovered about Gory Sorokin. She explained what had happened, how Logan had attacked Piz in the radio booth, blaming him, and then later Gory when he spoke rudely to her at school.

"He said he'd make Logan pay, that he was a dead man." Veronica sighed, reliving that quick moment in time, thinking about how her eyes had met Logan's, and how it had reminded her so much of that day at the Camelot so long ago.

"He actually threatened Logan?" Keith asked. "What about you?"

"No, he had my pen in his pocket, the one I gave to Wallace with a camera in it. So I bent down and took it back." She sighed, it was hard to look at him when she talked about the tape. "I think he was more embarrassed by what happened, but now, I mean, I knew we should take her seriously."

"But you didn't Veronica, you didn't take it seriously because you didn't tell anyone!" Keith shouted at his daughter. It was so hard to see her as the responsible adult he thought she was becoming.

"I'm trying to now, okay!" She wanted to cry as the feeling of letting his down set in. "Mac and Max and trying to help me locate Gory, and we're looking up stuff on his family." She sighed, her eyes fixed on the carpet around her feet. She explained how they were looking for any information on the name now, and that she hadn't found much. "Max hacked into the Hearst server, and is getting his home address and school recorders." Veronica whispered. She was ashamed that it had come to this, that things had gone this far.

"That's illegal." Keith couldn't look at his daughter, not yet. He needed to process everything she was saying. It was hard to think that his little girl had gone this far, that things in her life had gotten so out of control that she could allow her friends to break laws. "You have your friends breaking laws right now."

"Dad, I have them helping me, helping me find Logan." Veronica told him, pushing her hair back away from her face. She knew that he wouldn't be proud of her, she could see the disappointment in his eyes, the way he couldn't face her. "I don't know what else to do." She wanted to cry, it would be so easy to break down in front of him and do it, naturally even. She should be crying, but she wasn't. She stood there, dry eyed and honest. "It might already be too late." She whispered, her voice giving away the emotions she's could show.

"Oh honey." Keith said pulling her into his arms again. "Don't, don't go there, not yet." He told her, one hand rubbing her back, while the other rubbed her hair. What had happened to his baby girl? Where had she gone? He had always tried so hard to protect her, to keep her from this life, but he had changed everything for them the moment he looked at the Kane family for the murder of their daughter. He could feel the guilt setting in, he had done this, he had watched her change, he had let her get away with too much. He knew that he was just as much to blame as Veronica was. "I'll go down to the office, and tell Vinnie everything you've told me, we'll get them looking at this Sorokin kid. We'll find him, Logan's smart, he's out there somewhere."

That's what Veronica was worried about. Logan was smart, but not until he was put into a situation like this. She could remember the time at the River Stix, when he came in with his gun pointed, how cocky he would get when asked about Flexie's murder, and how quick his temper was. He could be smart, but his mouth was often smarter than him.

"Just promise me that you'll let the police handle this, if this guy is really involved, and as connected as you say, I don't want you anywhere near him." He knew his words would fall on def ears, but he had to say it.

"Yeah." Veronica nodded her head, pulling back from her dad a little.

"Do you want to come home?" he asked. "I can drop you off before I go talk to Vinnie."

"No, I want to stay here." Veronica said looking around the hotel room. She could be more comfortable at home, but Mac and Max were hard at work here, and that wasn't something she was about to leave.

"Call me if you need anything." Keith said before kissing his daughters forehead and leaving.

Veronica blew out her breath when the door closed behind him. She turned slowly and headed towards Dick's room where Mac and Max had set up. The room still looked the same as when Duncan had lived there, but now it was littered with wires, computers and printed out pages. Dick was in a chair, closest to Mac.

"Anything?" Veronica asked.

"I got his home address, his parents split, his mom lives upstate and his dad has a place back east in New York." Max announced. "And the number is out of service."

"Anything about a cabin?" Veronica asked.

"No, but I'm still looking." Max told her.

"He's got an Uncle Lev too, maybe it's under his name." Veronica told him.

"Nothing good here." Mac shook her head. "I keep coming across a lot of Russian pages, and we're translating them. I also got into his bank account, his last charge was this morning, in Oregon. I looked up the place, nothing weird. He put a hotel room on his card a week ago, nothing to show he's been back here. Want me to put a stop on all his cards?"

Veronica smiled at the thought. She was glad to know that they could do that, but what would be the point? If he was making charges in Oregon, then she didn't need to stir anything up, or alert him that they were looking at him. "There's got to be something." Veronica sighed, sitting down and picking up some papers, looking over them. "News paper articles?"

"His dad, or uncle are mentioned in them, ongoing investigations." Mac told her, not looking up. "Thought you might want to read 'em."

Minutes ticked by and the only sound that filled the room was that of typing and clicking. None of them even seemed to notice the setting sun.

"Where'd everyone go?" Parker's voice drifted from the main room.

All four heads popped up and looked at each other before glancing around and outside of the room.

"It got late fast." Dick said getting up and going to the window. "What time is it?"

"Almost 8." Max announced. He stood up and stretched. "I need a break," rubbing his eyes and the bridge of his nose he headed towards the main room.

"I need food." Mac sighed, pushing her computer away from her, and following Max.

Veronica watched them through the door, Mac stopping to hug Parker while she brushed fresh tears from her eyes. "How does she do it?" she wondered out loud.

"Who? What?" Dick asked, going to sit on the bed next to her, looking out and seeing Parker. "Parker?"

"How can she be so, so sad?" Veronica asked. It had made her wonder if there was something wrong with her. Even Dick had seemed a little puffy eyed once, tear stains visible. But she hadn't cried, could she?

"She's built different." Dick offered. "She's built to be that type of girl. I bet she even cries at sappy girly movies."

"You cried during Titanic, Dick." She pointed out. It was something that had gone around the whole school for weeks before someone else's gossip out did his.

"That was a long time ago." He told her. "Come on, you know I'm not the mushy type."

"I don't actually know you." Veronica said after a moment. There wasn't a lot that she did know about Dick. They weren't friends, not really, but he hadn't been her enemy in a long time. Had her past with his little brother kept her from getting to know him? Or maybe it was the fact that he always seemed to rub her the wrong way.

"Not because I didn't try." Dick told her before getting up and joining the others in the main room.

The day had quickly turned into night, and the group was struggling to undercover anything that was useful, anything that would point to the direction of Logan. The only thing they had been able to come up with was that Sorokin was bad news, Russian, mafia, and ongoing investigations surrounding the whole family.

Everyone in the penthouse seemed to be walking on pins and needles, every phone call, or text message put them all on edge, jumping each time someone would vibrate, waiting to hear something, anything that was important. But it was a knock on the door that made them all shuffle from Dick's room into the main part of the suit, watching worriedly while Dick opened the door.

"Sheriff." Dick said nodding on Veronica's dad.

"Mr. Mars." Keith reminded him, doubting that Dick would ever call him anything different.

"Right, come in. We were just going to order some food." Dick said, looking back and noticing that Veronica was the only one that seemed alarm that her father was here. It was almost midnight, and the arrival of the new guest wasn't a surprise. Keith had been dropping in throughout the day, checking on his daughter.

"What is it?" Veronica whispered as she hugged him. She had always been able to read him like a book, he was her father. She could tell from the bags under his eyes, and the worry in his eyes that he wasn't bringing good news.

"It's not good." He told her, motioning for the couch. He waited until she had sat down before he went on. "A body washed up on shore sometime this afternoon. They need you to come down and identity it."

Again her whole world seemed to stop. What had her father just told her? A body? When she had gotten the first phone call, the one saying that he was missing she was sure there wasn't anything worse that could top that, but this topped it, it more than topped it, this pushed it over the edge, smashed it. A body? There was no way this could be real, it couldn't happen. If he was truly gone, she was sure that she would know, she would feel it somewhere deep down.

Parker was the first to break the silence with a loud cry, falling back onto the couch.

"Honey, I'm sorry." Keith told her, pulling his shocked daughter into his arms.

Could it all truly end like this?

**AN: I'm official back at work today. So I will apologize now if my updates slow down. I'm a preschool teacher and the first few weeks are always the hardest, and I have 36 kiddos that are going to out rank all of my stories. But like all things in my life, it will run smoothly once I get a handle on everything. So enjoy the cliff hanger I'm leaving you with!**


	7. Chapter 7

On two shaky legs she made her way down the long dim light hallway. This was a place she had never been before, a place she never wanted to visit again. The morgue was a place she had only ever heard her father mention time to time, nothing that ever stuck in her mind as being real. She wanted to picture a world where this place didn't exist, where she wasn't walking down the cold hallway, about to look at a dead body.

How many dead bodies had she seen? Four, maybe, she couldn't really remember. Her grandparents had all died when she was little, and she assumed that she had gone to their funerals, seen them, but they didn't count, they had died of natural causes, old age, not because she had gotten them tangled up with the wrong person.

She could feel her whole body go rigid as she looked through the door her father held open for her. Mac and Dick had both offered to come, wanting to support her, but she said it would be better for them to stay there. She said she needed to do this without them. She wasn't even sure she wanted to do this. Maybe Logan hadn't been taken, maybe it really was just a surf accident, and this was the end result. It seemed far fetch, but easier to believe.

With a deep breath she stepped into the room, and froze. The stiff body laid under a thin white sheet, making her breath catch in her throat. Wow this really is like the movies, she thought to herself as the old woman gave her a sad smile before pulling the sheet back to show her the voice.

The brown hair fell over his face, and his lips were a soft shade of blue, a blue she was sure she had never seen before. His whole face looked frozen, as though he wasn't real. His lips looked rough, almost as though they were made of stone. The lines of his face sharper, standing out more due to the pale skin and seemed tight over his face.

Her whole world stopped and restarted as she looked at the body. She let out the breath she was holding and felt a strange smile tugging at her lips.

"That's not him." She wanted to laugh. She wanted to cry. It wasn't Logan, and that was all that mattered for a split second. He wasn't dead, he hadn't washed up on a beach somewhere, he wasn't laying on that table. But that small amount of joy was gone before she took another breath and turned to look at her father.

"That's not Logan." Keith told the woman, hugging his daughter again. He hated to put her through this.

Logan was still out there. Gory still had him, and she didn't truly know if he was still alive or not. The only thing that she knew for sure now, was that it wasn't Logan laying on the table in front of her, and that there was still a chance that they would find him.

As the Mars family left, Veronica sent a quick text message to both Mac and Dick, letting them know what she had learned.

In the penthouse suite at the Neptune Grand Parker had finally cried herself back to sleep, with Mac stoking her hair. For a while Mac wasn't sure if Parker was upset about a body washing ashore, or the fact that Veronica was listed as Logan's emergency contact. She seemed to have a lot of hard feelings towards Veronica, and Mac wasn't sure if it was jealous, or something more.

They were all worried that it was going to come to this, finding his body somewhere. She left Parker in Logan's room and went back to Dick's. Max had left hours ago, before Mr. Mars had come by with the news. He had "business" things he needed to tend to.

Mac was at a lost as what she could do to help her friends. Parker was an emotional wreck, crying every time someone mentioned Logan's name, and Veronica was emotionless. She hadn't seen her cry, or even looked scared for a split second. But she knew that was how she was, she wouldn't show anything until she knew for sure where he was. All she could do to help Veronica was to be there when she needed her help. It was easier to comfort Parker, her emotions were easier to see.

"She's asleep." Mac announced to Dick, who was sitting on his bed, looking out towards the window, the lights of Neptune lighting up the night. "Any word from Veronica yet?" she asked sitting down next to him. She had never spent this much time with Dick before, it was different. At first Dick always reminded her of Cassidy, his younger brother, and it hurt Mac to think about him. But she could tell that Dick too was still hurting over the loss of his brother.

"No. I really think I should have gone." Dick sighed shaking his head. "I wish I would have gone with him when he went surfing that day." He whispered. "He asked me, and I knew he didn't want to go alone. What kind of friend am I?"

"Hey, don't blame yourself." Mac said putting an arm around him in comfort. This was who she was here. She was the girl that offered comfort to all of them. "No one could have guessed that this would have happen, and it doesn't make it anyone's fault that it did."

"Veronica doesn't seem to see it that way." Dick sighed. "She's so mad at me. I don't know why I didn't think to call and tell her myself."

"I didn't call her either." Mac finally admitted. She had seen the pain in Veronica's eyes when she arrived at the hotel the night before. The first person Dick talked to, after the hotel staff and police, was Parker, who in turn told Mac. "I should have, I should have known, but I didn't."

"You can't blame yourself for that. She's not mad at you for not calling her." Dick said turning to try and comfort her. For the first time he could see the tears in the girls brown eyes. "Hey, come on, it's going to be okay."

"You don't know her like me. She's been so betrayed by everyone, and now me. I should have called her when I first found out. I don't even know how to help her right now." Mac cried for the first time, allowing Dick to pull her into a hug. She knew that she was only upset because she was worried about Veronica, worried about what she was see at the morgue, and she was tired.

Dick held her for a moment, before lifting her chin to look at her. He brushed her tears away with a swipe of his thumb before giving her a small smile. "You're an amazing friend." He whispered aware of how close their faces had become in the moment of comfort.

It was those words that made Mac lean forward and press her lips to his, kissing him the way he had tried to kiss her on the beach so many weeks ago. She could feel his hand move from her chin into her hair, holding her head in place, and every part of her brain was telling her to pull back, to stop this, but she couldn't.

Dick could taste her salt tears on her lips, and feel the sudden heat in her cheeks. The last time he had tried to kiss her, she had pushed him away, rolled her eyes and walked off. It surprised him that now she was allowing it to happen, and he planned on taking full advantage of it, pulling her closer to him, holding her, his hands going from her head to shoulders, back. He started to lean back into the bed, taking her with him, refusing to allow either of them up for air. He didn't want to lose this moment, he didn't want to let her go. Maybe it was because this was the first sober kiss he had had in such a long time, or because they were both running off a few hours of sleep, but he could already tell that he liked it.

It wasn't until they both heard their phones go off, that they pulled away from each other, gasping for breath, and searching the room for their phones.

"It's Veronica." Mac said wiping her mouth on the back side of her hand.

"It's not him." Dick breathed out in relief.

"I should wake Parker up." Mac said afraid to look up at him, to be in the same room as him.

"Let her sleep, tell her when she wakes up." Dick said reaching for her hand. He didn't know how to recognize the signs of fear that she was displaying, he had never seen them before.

Mac watched him for a moment. What had she just done? She pulled her hand away and shook her head. She had a boyfriend, yes he might not be the best person in the world, but she wasn't a cheater. She took a large step away from him, feeling her whole face burn red.

"No, I should tell her, and wait for Veronica." She told him before going out of his room and closing the door behind him so he wouldn't follow her. What in the hell was that? She just willingly kissed Dick Casablancas!


	8. Chapter 8

By the time the time Veronica returned to the penthouse Mac and Dick were fast asleep. She could see Parker standing outside on the balcony, wrapped up in one of the fluffy Neptune Grand bathrobes. It took her a minute before decided to go out and join her. Veronica knew that Mac was trying to be there for them, she was trying to a friend to both girls, and Veronica didn't want to make it anymore awkward than it needed to be.

"You're back," Park didn't look behind her to see who was joining her.

"Yeah." Her voice was shaky. She hadn't really talked to Parker since that run-in in the hallway a few weeks ago, the night Logan beat up Piz. "My dad tried to convince me to come home, but..." her voice trailed off.

"It's hard, when you don't know where he is." Parker understood. She allowed the quite night air to surround them for a long moment. "I care about him." She finally whispered.

Veronica didn't know what to tell her, was this going to be the moment she had been dreading? The moment were Parker confessed her feelings and expected Veronica to feel sorry for her? She couldn't trust her voice, so all she could do was nod in response.

"Not as much as you do, but I do care." Park finally looked at her. Her eyes were puffy, but she smiled softly at Veronica. "You truly are a class act woman Veronica Mars, I don't know why I'm so surprised."

"I'm not following." Veronica's eyes scrunched up as she looked at her.

"You stopped everything you were doing to come back here for him. You didn't make a single complaint when we were dating. You're doing everything you can to find him, even if the police think it's pointless because he's run off." Park gave a sad laugh. "You're a much better person than I could ever dream of being."

"Parker no-" she was going to protest. Parker was a good person. She had done what any friend would have done, she had told Logan they couldn't date. It was Logan that had come to her, asking for permission, putting Veronica in a position where she had to say yes. Parker, unlike Meg, had cared about their friendship, even if it was only remotely.

"It's the truth." Parker interrupted her. "I never should have even started seeing Logan, knowing that you two had a history together."

Suddenly an old picture popped into Veronica's head as Parker continued her rambled apologize. She could see Meg laying in the hospital bed, her stomach extended.

"You even tried to help our relationship." Parker was saying when Veronica came back around.

"Stop!" She demanded, putting both her hands up, making Parker take a slight step backwards at her sudden movement. "Dear god please don't tell me you're pregnant." She wanted to puke at the idea.

"What?" Parker asked. "No, why would you even think that?"

Veronica let out a deep breath and shook her head, grabbing the rail for support. "Sorry, I just…nevermind." It wasn't a story she wanted to tell, or one she wanted Parker to know. "Look Parker, I'm sorry, I really am. But can we not dance around the bush here." She motioned between them.

"Why did you come back?" Parker asked bluntly.

Well, Veronica was getting what she wanted, right to the point. Why did she come back? That seemed to be the million dollar question that everyone kept asking, but she didn't have the answer to. It would have been easy to tell her she came back because it was her fault, when things had been explained to Dick he was quick to jump to that conclusion. She was sure she could see it in Mac's eyes a few times, and in her mind, she could hear Wallace telling her.

"Why did you come?" Veronica asked back, turning her questioning eyes back to Parker.

"Because I love him." Parker whispered. "I know it's not the same as you loving him, or him loving you, but I do."

"I don't doubt that." Veronica told her.

"Then it's time to stop doubting the fact that he loves you more than life itself." Parker whispered.

Her words were sad, and left Veronica speechless. Parker was the first one to put it so bluntly to her. Logan loved her more than he loved his own life, and this situation was proof. Sure he might not have known how connected Gory was at the time, but that didn't make it any less dangerous. She wasn't sure when it had become the norm, but Logan was always protecting her.

Parker's departure left Veronica alone with nothing but her thoughts and the ability to pace. Her eyes stung with sleep, but her mind wouldn't allow her the privilege. With each passing hour, her thoughts would turn darker and darker, and she knew the possibly of getting Logan back was slim. She continued to walk from the door to the balcony, around the couches, past the TV, by the bar. Her thumb and fore finger tightly held the charm of her necklace while she ran it back and forth on the chain around her neck.

On the ride back, her father brought up her quick judgment to return home.

_"I know the timing sucks, but can we talk about what this means?" he asked._

_"What what means?" Veronica hadn't been listening, hr head rested against the window, watching the other cars and buildings pass._

_"You, coming back like this." He sighed. "We've been dancing around this conversation since that night Logan found in the parking lot."_

_"Dad, I'm really not following here." Veronica admitted._

_"You and Logan." It was awkward to talk to his daughter about this._

_"He's a friend dad." Veronica said waving her hand in the air. "That's all."_

_"Honey, I may not be in with the kids these days, but the last time I checked, friends don't fly across the country when one goes missing, they don't punch out a guy that released a video tape of them, they don't act like you and Logan."_

_"Sure they do, all good friends would take a knife in the back for each other." Veronica told him. "I'd react the same way if it was Wallace."_

_"But would Wallace have punch Gory Sorokin, or gotten himself arrested to beat up those rapists from your college?"_

_"Moe and Mercer?" Veronica asked quickly looking more intently at her father._

_"You didn't know?" he almost laughed. He was sure when it came to Logan Echolls his daughter knew everything._

_She shook her head. They were broken up, hardly speaking when it happened._

_"I didn't see Wallace doing any of that." Keith told her._

_"Wallace doesn't always go fist first." Veronica told him._

_"Wallace doesn't love you the way Logan does." Keith clarified knowing the words would shock his daughter._

_And they did, she sat up a little straighter looking at her father. Had he really just said that? "Logan doesn't love me."She wanted to convince him, herself even._

_"Veronica, I accepted the fact that Logan Echolls loves you a long time ago, now I think it's time that you accept the fact that you love him." Keith told her, ending their conversation. _

Her father had made his point in that car ride. She knew somewhere deep inside of her that Logan would do anything for her, and that is why they were in this situation now. But she also knew that in return, she too would do anything for him. It had been some sick, twisted game that they had been playing for a long time. But it was a game that Veronica had ended the night Logan beat up Piz. If it hadn't been her fault that he was missing, she wouldn't be here. That was what she had to keep telling herself.

It was in that dead silence that her phone rang, making her heart stop and quicken at the same time. With her eyes closed in pray she answered.

"Hello?" she asked her voice merely a whisper.

"Veronica, it's Mills." She sighed in disappointment, this wasn't the call she was hoping for. "I ran a trace on that number, I wasn't able to pick anything up. I'm sorry."

She blew her bangs out of her face, and turned to Mac, who had awoken on the couch at the sound of her phone. She shook her head at her, signaling for her friend to lay back down. "It's okay." She knew it was a long shot. If his phone had been on it would be a different story.

"But I ran the other name, Sorokin." Mill's voice changed, her tone more serious. "Veronica are you sure these were the people your friend was tangled up with?"

"Yes, Gorya Sorokin, we attend the same college." Veronica sighed. "Thanks to goolge, and all those connect the dot puzzles I did as a kid, I figured out his so called connections."

"Veronica, I have to pass you along to someone, someone higher up than me. When I ran the name it sent up a red flag. This is serious." Mills explained before someone new came on the phone.

"Ms. Mars?" the voice asked, male this time, deeper, and more demanding.

"Yes." Veronica answered. What had the FBI found, something that would help them?

"My name is special agent Haas." The man said. "I need to ask you a few things about the Sorokin family."

"I don't know much." She sighed and waited. All the questions were easy to answer, most of them she didn't know. She was able to give them the home address Max was gotten from Gory's transcripts, the nonworking number they had, and she mentioned that she thought he was in Oregon.

"An agent will be out there in the morning to speak with you more." Haas said.

But she didn't have any time to ask her own questions before he said thank you and hung up, leaving her to stare at her phone until it went black.

"Who was it?" Mac yawned, while Veronica sat next to her.

"The F.B.I." She whispered. She hadn't told Mac or anyone about how she had left, it hadn't come up. But now, as she explained the conversation she had with Mills before boarding the plane, and the one just now, she could feel reality sink in. There was only one thing left that she could do before she herself would have to go after Gory Sorokin, one last option.


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Did you guys know that Mac is on Grey's? Yeah, I thought it was pretty cool.**  
**Thank you guys for all the reviews, it truly makes me smile every time I look at the number!  
Be warned, this was the hardest part for me to write so far.  
**

* * *

"I'm sleeping, you're taking me home, it's simple." Veronica explained the plan to Dick again, knowing he didn't fully understand as they pulled up to the security gate. The sun was high enough in the sky to signal the afternoon was near. She had wanted to come earlier, but was called into the station to be questions by two F.B.I. agents, it was what lead her to believe that this was her last option. She wasn't going to make the same mistake as last time, there wouldn't be any way to track her back to visiting the gated community.

"But you look nothing like Bethany, anyone can see that." Dick told her.

"They aren't going to really be looking Dick, my dad fired them because they couldn't take the time to look at what was in front of them. Just do it, please."

"Fine, fine," he mumbled. He pulled the car up to the locked community gate, and rolled his window down.

"Name?" the guard asked, hardly looking up from the screen, writing down the numbers he saw on the license plate.

"Dick Casablancas." He told him. "And Bethany Rodgers."

"Rodgers?" the guy asked looking up. "Lucky her parents aren't home." He sighed, before pushing the button and allowing the car through.

"Clear." Dick whispered as he drove farther away from the guard, and the gate closed behind them. "So why are we here again? Only old people live in gated communities."

"Jake Kane." Veronica whispered. Watching as the house they drove towards appeared bigger and bigger. She didn't remember it looking so scary the last time she was there.

This was a long shot, her last shot. She could only hope that appealing to his softer side, one that she wasn't sure Jake Kane even had anymore. But she knew she had to try, he was her last hope of finding Logan alive.

"What the hell is she doing here?" Jake Kane asked pointing at Veronica. His suit jacket was open, and his tie loose around his neck. "Again, why is she in my home again?"

"She's leaving." Clarence said, his hand wrapped around her arm.

"No!" Veronica shouted, the tears clouding her eyes making it harder to see. No news wasn't good news, and in this point she was desperate. She yanked at her arm, pulling it free from the head of Kane security. "You have to hear me out, you owe me that much!"

"Excuse me?" Jake asked, eyeing the girl before him, the girl that had caused so many problems for his family.

"You owe me!" she shouted at him. "And you know it." She added. "Duncan, you owe me for Duncan." It was a name she hadn't spoken in months, someone she hadn't thought of in a long time. She had never truly felt that Mr. Kane owed her for the safety of his son and granddaughter, but desperate times called for desperate measures. "For thinking you were my father, and never telling me!" that was another thing she could add to the list. The Kane family had a whole list as to why Veronica wasn't good enough, to why she was to be looked down on, but none of them stood a chance. "For having an affair with my mother." Now that was truly a reach. Yes they had an ongoing affair, but the effect that had on Veronica was so little. "Ruining my dad's chances of being a decent sheriff." That was more her fault, she was always sticking her nose where it didn't belong, and this time had gotten caught. "For Lilly." Lilly would want him to help, she was sure of that.

Jake's eyes narrowed at the mention of his daughter's name. For the first time he noticed the necklace that hung around her neck, the charm that laid against the white skin of her throat. It was one he knew well, one he remembered his daughter whining about to get. Like most things in her life, Lilly got what she wanted.

"She was my best friend, her and Duncan were my whole world in high school, and it was all taken away from me because you thought I was your daughter, because Lilly was taken away from both of us." She couldn't hold her tears back anymore, thinking about Lilly, worrying about Logan, and the lack of sleep were all starting to get to her.

"And what is it that you so desperately want?" he asked, tearing his eyes from her necklace.

"Find Logan." Veronica breathed out. Just like Duncan and Lilly had done so many times, Jake was putting up a front, acting as though there was nothing he could do, when she should have known it would already be taken care of, simply because she asked.

"You expect me to find the son of the man that murdered my daughter?" Jake laughed at her.

"No, I expect you to help me find Lilly's ex boyfriend and Duncan's best friend." Veronica told him. It had been a long time since she had thought of Aaron as Logan's father. "There is no one else I can turn to." She whispered to him. "Gorya Sorokin, I know his secret."

"You what?" Jake asked, unsure if he heard her clearly. He could still remember her perched on the arm of the couch, telling her names of others, and their secrets.

"I told you, I cracked the code to the hard drive, but Sorokin's secret was the one I was interested in, the person I was after. I saw his video, I heard him." Veronica explained. "And now I think he's taken Logan."

"What is it you expect me to do?" Jake asked her.

"Find him, I just need you to find him." She pleaded, the tears had finally stopped, neither of them had it in them to yell anymore. They couldn't.

"And why do you think Sorokin has anything to do with Logan?"

"Because Logan punched him." Veronica slowly explained the story, again leaving out details that didn't seem important, the fact that the video of her and Piz never seemed to come to light. "He's gone, and I need to find him."

"Mars, I already told you no." Clarence announced, reaching for her arm again. "You've taken up enough time, it's time to go."

"Let go of me." Veronica said pulling her arm but unable to get it out of his grasp. "Please, you can't do this!" she struggled as he started to pull her from the room. "Mr. Kane, you were like a father to him, you were the only real father figure he had. Please!" but she was thrown from the house, and to the waiting Casablancas boy, asleep in his car in the drive way.

"Sir." Clarence said, returning to the living room that had just been the sense of all the drama.

"She had already called you?" Jake asked, looking up at him, almost frozen in place.

"Yeah, she called yesterday, explained the issue at hand," he told his boss.

"And?" Jake asked.

"I'm already taking care of it." Clarence said with a quick nod of his head.

Jake was stuck, frozen in time. The way Veronica looked, the plea in her eyes, it was something he was sure she inherited from her mother. There were so many times when she was younger that he had see Veronica and was stunned by their resemblance. And her attitude, everyone else around was so sure that it was something she had gotten from her father, from working as a PI, but Jake knew the truth. He had grown up with Lianne, and he knew her better than anyone else. Veronica's attitude had come straight from her mother.

"It's taking too long." Jake muttered, turning his back to Clearance and walking away slowly. He stopped in the hallway and looked at the large painting of Lilly that hung there. Duncan's was only a few feet away in his office, and his heart hurt for both his children. He had tried so hard to raise them right, to keep them safe. He would have done anything for them. They had been his whole world, just like Veronica had said they were hers. Somewhere in his mind, he could hear Lilly asking for this, Duncan trying to handle it himself. His children were just as connected to the Mars girl as he was.

On the front steps, Veronica stumbled down towards Dick's car defeated. There was nothing else that she could possible do. Jeff Ratner had looked at campus, and all he found out, was that Gory was gone for the summer. He had left Neptune days before Veronica had, and there were no signs that he had been back. Her phone call from Mills had left her uneasy, and Mac hadn't been able to find anything.

As she slipped back into her seat, she called Logan's phone again, listening to his voice in the silent morning, made fresh tears sting her eyes. But she didn't have time to cry, she couldn't cry because that meant that there was nothing else she could do.

"This is Logan with today's inspirational greeting. The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts; therefore guard accordingly. Marcus Aurelius."

Beep

"Logan, please." Veronica whispered. "Please be okay." She ended the call and sat back in her seat, looking towards the bright blue sky in front of her. How had her life come to this, how had she gotten here? This wasn't the way it was pictured in her head. This summer wasn't turning out right at all. She was supposed to be in Virginia, Piz in New York, Mac off camping with her family, Wallace in Africa, and Logan, Logan was suppose to be safe.

It only took her a second to sit there and lose control, to allow a scream to rip from her throat, hurting now only her eardrums, but waking Dick up too. She kicked her feet wildly, while hitting the dash of his car. She needed to let this out, it was been building up inside of her, and now was the only time she would be able to let it show.

"Wha?" Dick said flying forward in his seat looking around. His heart racing at the way he was awoken. The site next to him was a scary one, one much scarier than he had seen before. Veronica had always seemed to have her emotions in check, and under wraps. Dick had never seen her like this, he was sure that no one had ever seen her like this. "Veronica!" he shouted, his hands stretched out to stop her, unsure if he should even attempt to touch her.

But just as quickly as it came, it stopped. Veronica flung her head back into the seat hard, and with a large breath blew her fallen hair out of her face. There were so many different emotions running through her just seconds ago, and now her head was again clear. "Sorry." She whispered, her voice shaky. "I just needed…" she wasn't sure how to put it in words. What did she need? She needed to find Logan.

"Hey, I get it." Dick said putting his hands up, and starting the car. "Just next time, don't take it out on my car." He smiled running his hand along the dash. "It's okay, baby, she didn't mean it." He whispered to the car.

"I guess I should call Trina." Veronica sighed, as they pulled away from the house.

"No luck with Kane?" Dick asked. He didn't need to hear her say it to know. For the first time he could see the look of defeat on Veronica's face. It was with that luck that he knew there was no hope. He didn't question her anymore, and drove back in silence.


	10. Chapter 10

Back in the pent house Dick quietly asked Mac to take Parker elsewhere for awhile. He couldn't explain it, but he could sense on the drive back from Jake Kane's that Veronica was going to need time to herself, time to come to terms with what was really happening. They had been told that morning by the agents that the likely hood of Logan coming back alive, if Sorkin really had him, were slim. He wasn't sure if it had been in that moment that she started to break, or when they had left Kane's. But he knew that she needed time.

"I'm not sure leaving is the best idea, but is there anything we can get?" Parker asked, looking at both Veronica and Dick.

"If they hear something, they will let us know." Mac assured Parker, she was torn between her two friends. Veronica was her most loyal and oldest friend. She could tell that on the inside Veronica was breaking down, she hadn't been able to see it until now, and she knew when Dick asked her to take Parker, it was happening. But Parker was her roommate, her friend by default. She had grown to love Parker over the year they lived together, and all the time they had spent together. She knew that Parker needed her just as much right now. The difference between the two was that Parker would allow Mac to comfort her, Veronica wouldn't stand for it. She wouldn't let anyone comfort her right now, because the only person she needed was Logan.

"Yeah, of course." Dick said. "Ronnie's going to catch a few zees, and I'm going to shower. You guys will come back with real food for all of us." Lying had always been easy for him, and he had found in the last few days it was easier to do when he was sober.

Parker gave Veronica a hopefully look, maybe one of encouragement. They hadn't spoken since the night before, and Veronica could still hear her words ringing in her head '_Logan loves you more than his own life.'_ Parker reached out and gave Veronica's hand a gently squeeze before they left.

Veronica smiled at Dick, thankfully that she didn't need to express what she needed. Maybe Dick just filled a role everyone had placed him in, maybe he wasn't truly as bad as he appeared to be most of the time. The thought only lingered for a second before she was reminded that this was reality, and Dick Casablancas was the cause of so many of her troubles over the years.

"I'll be in my room." He gave her a slight smile before watching her walk into Logan's room and close the door.

The sheets were a mess, Parker had been sleeping in the bed since arriving at the hotel. But that was fine. She knew that she wasn't going to be able to sleep yet anyway. She opened his closet door and was assaulted with his scent. It instantly made her eyes water. She pulled out a sweater she remembered him wearing when they were still together, when they were happy.

How had they been happy? She wondered as she wrapped it around herself, engulfing herself in him. He had done so many things to hurt her, so many unforgiveable things, and yet, there she was. She had given up the opportunity of a life time to come back to Neptune to try and find him. She had watched him date other girls, she had seen how he was with Parker. He was different with her, more of what a boyfriend should be. They were making plans, he threw her a birthday party, and invite real people. He had even gotten to know Mac better while he was with Parker, something he never did when they were together. He had changed with her, and it hurt her to admit it. She bit her lip as she ran her hand along the other clothes hanging in his closet.

She wasn't sure how long she stood there lost in deep in thought, but the site of Dick in a towel behind her brought her back from the memories she was losing herself in.

"V, your phone has been going off for ten minutes." He said holding it out to her. "I don't know the number, so I didn't want to answer it."

"Sorry." She mumbled, taking the phone from him. She barely had the chance to look at the five missed calls before it started to ring again. "Hello?" she sighed.

"May I speak with Veronica Mars, please." The voice on the other end asked.

"This is she." Veronica said, pulling the collar for the sweater closer around her.

"Ms Mars, this is nurse Hayten at Central Mercy. We have a patient that was just brought in by the name of Logan Echolls. On his insurance, he has you listed as his emergency contact."

"Oh my god." She breathed out, feeling her knees give out as she dropped towards the ground. Her head dropped, her hair coving her face hand covering her mouth. This was the moment she had been waiting for, the phone call she had needed over the last two days. Everything else seemed to come to a stop. She couldn't hear Dick yelling her name, she wasn't even sure if she still had the ability to speak anymore.

"Miss, we need you to come to the hospital." Veronica was sure that she had missed the majority of what she had just been told, but it didn't seem to matter. Logan had been found, and that was all she could think about.

She nodded her head for a moment, regaining thought. "Of course, yes." Veronica told her. "I'll be there in 15 minutes." She hung up without another word, quickly getting to her feet.

"What?" Dick asked from the hundredth time.

"They found him, he's at the hospital." She whispered, and saying it out loud seemed to make everything stand still. Just like when she had received that news that he was missing, everything seemed to shift, change without really changing. With her heart pounding, she started to go through the motions, her actions didn't have thoughts anymore, they were just robotic.


	11. Chapter 11

AN: When I first wrote this part, I was going to make Parker seem like a witch. But something changed in me, and so did my love for Parker, she's not evil. So there is a part that doesn't flow as well as it did because I had to rewrite it. And I am not a doctor, so to anyone that knows more in the medical field, sorry.

* * *

Again she found herself pacing, but this time it was a hallway in the hospital. Parker, Mac, Dick, and Keith all sat in chairs, waiting, watching. She tugged on the necklace, glancing up every time she heard footsteps that didn't belong to her. It had been hours since she had received the phone call, and still she knew nothing new.

When they arrived at the hospital, a nurse lead them to the waiting room and explained that Logan was brought in, some car, she didn't know the details. But that they were doing everything they could to save him at the moment. Her words were enough to send Veronica into that dark place she had been trying to avoid.

"Has she slept at all?" Keith asked Mac, watching his daughter.

Mac shook her head. "No. I haven't seen her even lay down once."

Keith waited a moment before pushing himself out of the hospital waiting chair and going towards his daughter. "Veronica." His voice was soft, caring.

She looked up, she looked like a deer caught in head lights. The last time she had slept had been in Virginia, that was well over 48 hours ago. She had been running on caffeine and adrenaline. Her thoughts hadn't allowed her to sleep. It was much like the time when she found out about Logan and Madison, she couldn't close her eyes without seeing them together, but this time she couldn't close her eyes without seeing Logan's body twisted in unnatural ways.

"You should sit down." He said, both hands on her arms, guiding her towards a chair. Without thought he placed her next to Parker, who instantly grabbed her hand.

Veronica sat there silent, lost in her own thoughts. She was brought back to reality when someone pulled her out of the chair she had just been put in.

"You're rambling." Her dad whispered, pulling her into another hug. No one could understand what she was saying, but it seemed to be the same thing over and over again.

"Sorry, I was just thinking." Veronica told him shaking her head. "Someone had to have who brought him in. They could tell us where they found him, or how they got him. Then they could have something to actually go off to find out who took Logan."

"Vinne and his guys are already looking at the tapes. The department may have been run by a bunch of idiots before, but I'd like to think that Vinne does actually know what he's doing."

The whole group seemed to be waiting for Veronica to snap. Dick was on the edge of his seat watching her face as she rested on her dad's shoulder. He hadn't seen a lot of emotion on her face since they had arrived at the hospital and been shown to the waiting room. The second the door at the end of the hallway had swung shut, and the nurse and left them that mask Dick had seen her wear in high school was in place, and she showed nothing.

When the double doors opened again, it got all of their attention, and Veronica lifted her head from her father's shoulder.

"Trina?" Dick asked, squinting. He had heard Veronica make a call, but never figured that she'd actually show up.

The concern for Veronica was forgotten for a second as the red head joined them, going straight to Veronica, paying no attention to the others.

"Tell me everything." Trina demanded, reaching for Veronica, and pulling her into a hug.

Parker's confused looked as the new arrival seemed to go unseen by the group, everyone's attention on the two women, leaving her to figure out who Trina was on her own.

Veronica could only shake her head at Trina and they embraced each other. She knew that Trina hadn't always been the best sister in the world to Logan, but when push came to shove, and things were as bad as they were, she was there, and that's what counted. She was the only family that Logan had left, even if they weren't blood.

"We haven't heard anything yet, we're waiting for a doctor to come out and tell us anything." Keith answered for his daughter.

"What happened?" Trina asked, pulling back and looking at the faces that watched her. "How'd this happen?"

Veronica tried to open her mouth to tell her, but she couldn't seen to find the words, and she didn't know where to start. How do you explain everything to someone that hadn't been there? There were so many different parts that played into it.

"We aren't really sure yet." Mac tried to help her friend. "There were some things that happened before the semester ended, and then Logan went surfing and didn't come back."

"And how'd he end up here?" Trina asked.

"We don't know yet. The sheriff is looking into it, the F.B.I. has been here as well." Keith said.

"The F.B.I.?" Trina asked.

"He punched out someone connected to the Russian mob because of something he'd done to Veronica." Parker spoke up.

Trina looked at the other blond for the first time. She wasn't sure who she was. She had seen pictures of brunette with Veronica, but not this girl. "Who are you?"

"This is Parker, Logan's…" Dick trailed off. He wasn't sure how to introduce her.

"It doesn't matter." Trina waved Dick off, turning back to Veronica. "Sit with me?"

She knew that she should sit, she should sleep, but there was something holding her back. Maybe now she would be able to sleep, knowing that Logan was somewhere in that hospital, somewhere close. But she didn't know if he was okay, and that meant that her mind was still able to go to that place, that unspeakable place. She was ready to give in and join Trina when she heard more footsteps. Turning around she saw the doctor, making his way towards them.

"Miss Mars?" he asked, looking at Veronica, and then her father.

Veronica only nodded.

"There were some complications." He started off, and it seemed like she was going def. What was he saying? Veronica was struggling to hang on. "We couldn't continue with the surgery, and moved him back into ICU. He is far from okay, but he is better than when he arrived. We're going to keep a close eye on him tonight, and hopefully be able to go back in tomorrow."

The whole group was silent for a moment while they listened.

"Logan's alive." Trina breathed out.

"Can you tell us how he got here?" Keith finally asked.

"I don't actually know, but I'm sure I can find out for you." He told them. "He's going to be coming around soon, we want to try waking him up, to run more tests, make sure what we were able to fix, is actually fixed."

"Can we see him?" Parker asked suddenly.

"That's why I'm here. I'm afraid only one of you will be allowed in the room right now." He looked at everyone. "I came to speak to Ms Mars, she's listed as his emergency contact on all his paper work."

"Of course." Parker sighed.

"Ronnie, you should go." Dick whispered. "He needs you more than any of us."

Veronica wasn't so sure that it was true. She wasn't sure that Logan really needed her more than the rest of them. But she did know that she needed him more than they did. She needed him to be able to sleep, she needed him to be able to feel, she needed him to be able to live.

"Go Veronica, we'll be here." Mac encouraged her.

"Follow me." The doctor.

The smell alone could have made Veronica sick. It wasn't a smell that she would be able to describe, or place anywhere else. A mixture of blood, cotton, bleach, soap, maybe even metal, she wasn't sure, but it was stomach turning. And the site of Logan hidden under tubes and wires pushed her over the edge. The steady sound of the heart monitor filled the room. Under all the bandages, and tubes she wasn't even sure if it was him. His face was cut and bruised, worse than what Piz had looked like a few weeks ago. As gruesome as he looked, she couldn't turn away from him.

For the first time since arriving in Neptune she could finally allow her tears to fall, landing on the bandages over his hand.

"There was swelling on the brain, that was the first thing we took care of, and his tibia and femur were both broken on the right side. All of his fingers in his left hand appear to be broken as well. His ribs punctured a lung, that is what we were trying to repair when we discovered a few more complications. His internal bleeding was a lot more server than that we had expected."

At some point in the doctors ramblings about everything they had done to save the boys life, he finally realized that she wasn't listening. Her eyes focused on the beaten face, glossed over. "I'll be around if you have any question." He said before leaving the room.

She was left alone with what she was told was Logan. How could she be so sure it was him? He was covered in bandages, white gauze wrapped around his head, his eyes were swollen. Nothing about this person looked like Logan, it didn't even really look like a person.

She stood there, her hand on his bandaged one for what seemed like hours, watching him, everyone breath, every beep, before one of the nurses brought her a chair to sit in. She didn't notice when they came in to check his vital signs, she just watched him, trying to picture what he had gone through to get to this point, to be this broken.

"Is this heaven, or hell?" his whispered voice finally broke through the silence of the room, making her jump from her chair, brushing the tears aside.

"What?" she asked, his eyes still closed, making her think she was starting to hear things.

"Hell, defiantly hell." His lips barely moving as he whispered.

"Logan?" she asked, reaching to touch his lips, but stopping scared it would hurt him even more.

"I can hear you, and smell you, but I can't see you."

"Oh god, don't talk." She whispered as new tears filled her eyes. She reached for the button to call the nurse and pressed it as many times as she could before someone showed up in the room. As much as she wanted to live in this moment, in the moment where she was able to hear his voice, she knew that in order to hear it again, the doctors would need to be called.


	12. Chapter 12

AN: I'm moving at the end of the week, so I don't know when I will be able to post again. Relocating, and leaving my preschoolers is going to be hard. Plus I have a new story bouncing around in my head, and if I don't write it down, I'll forget it. So it's taken over my fingers for now.

* * *

After he had awoken she was rushed out of the room, taken back down to the waiting room, where she found everyone still sitting, this time with Sack's and Vinnie, and Weevil waiting as well. She told them about how bad he looked, trying to explain it to Trina, and that he had woken up, leaving out what he said to spare Parker's feelings. But leaving him turned into another waiting game. A doctor had come out and told them that things were looking better now, they were able to go back in and finish what they had started, and that it would be hours before he was out of surgery.

Keith suggested that they all go home for a few hours, get some sleep, food, shower, anything. He was mainly trying to pull his daughter away from the hospital, knowing that she needed all of those things more than any of them. The bags under her eyes were darker than he had ever seen, and that scared him.

"I promise you Miss Mars, you'll be back before he's even out of the room. The doctors think it's going to take at least 6 hours, and if the swelling it down, they want to cast his leg." The nurse told her. "And if things end early, I will personally call you and let you know."

She didn't want to leave, because she was scared that if she did, she wouldn't be able to come back. Outside of that hospital reality was waiting, the reality were her and Logan were hardly on speaking terms, where Logan had gotten into this mess because of her, where everyone wanted answers that she didn't have.

"A shower, and a nap, I'll bring you back after you've slept for a few hours." Keith promised her.

A shower was just what she had needed, but her mind was restless while she tried to fall asleep in her own bed. She didn't picture Logan hurt when she closed her eyes, she just couldn't picture anything. Backup was starching at the foot of her door, begging to be let into the room, for attention. After an hour of trying, she gave up and opened the door, crouching down to rub his head, and hug him to her.

"I missed you too boy." She sighed, while he licked her face.

"Veronica?" Keith asked at the sound of his daughters voice. "Couldn't sleep?"

"No, I tired." She sighed standing back up. "Can I go back to the hospital?" She felt silly to be asking for permission to leave. She was an adult, but she also knew that she shouldn't drive, and that her father was worried.

Keith was quite for a moment, watching his daughter, before nodding his head and reaching for his keys. "I'll give you a ride, no driving until you've slept for a full 24 hours."

"I'll sleep when I'm dead pops." Veronica smiled at him, following him out of their small apartment.

"Not funny, kid." He told her.

Logan still wasn't out of surgery when they arrived back at the hospital, and the only person left there was Trina. She said that she had thought about going back to the hotel with Dick, but figured that someone should stay there and wait. Veronica sat with Logan's sister, while Keith went to get the girls coffee.

"So who's the blond?" Trina asked, sitting back to look at Veronica.

"Huh?" Veronica asked.

"Parker, she seemed out of place."

"She's, well, I guess she's Logan's girlfriend, ex-girlfriend." Veronica offered. It had been a long time since she had talked to Trina, and an even longer time since Trina had talked to her brother. "Logan and I broke up in January."

"Yes, that's what you two do though." Trina told her. "Break up, make up, it's a pattern you two have."

"Not this time." Veronica sighed. "I was actually back east at a summer internship when all this happened." she motioned to the hospital waiting room. "When I left, we didn't part on good terms. In fact, I think I remember telling him that I was done, that he was out of my life for good this time."

"And yet here you are." Trina smiled. "You flew across the country for him. You dropped whatever it was you were doing to come home, for him. That doesn't seem like he's out of your life to me."

"Old habits die hard." Veronica shrugged her shoulders. "I was worried, and partly responsible. I had to come."

Trina sat watching her for a moment before speaking. "You didn't have to, but you did. Veronica I've known you for some time now, and I know I haven't always been the best sister in the world, but I'd like to think that I know my brother a little too. The two of you, you're like magnets. I swear the moment you walk into a room his whole face changes, even when he was with Lilly, there was just something about you that made him smile. If anything that's gotten stronger over the years. And now, you leaving everything to come back here for him. You two have a pretty epic love story Veronica Mars."

Epic love story? She had heard those words before. Logan had told her that they were epic once, that they were what love songs would be written about. She sat there and let Trina's words sink in. Maybe she had always known it, maybe it was something new that she had just discovered over the last few days, but the fact was, her life was tied to Logan Echolls, and there was no way to untie them.


	13. Chapter 13

Later that night when Veronica was let back into Logan's room, she could have sworn that he looked worse than before. The doctor told her that he wouldn't be awake anytime soon, the drugs they had given him would keep him under until sometime the next day. They also warned her that when he did come to he would be in a lot of pain.

Just like before, Veronica sat in a chair, her hand on top of his bandages, listening to his breathing, and the machines. The rhythm of the two, and the comfort she had from touching him, finally lulled her into a slumber that had been alluding her for days.

It was in that state that Dick and Mac found her the next morning, when they were finally allowed back into the ICU.

"If you wake her up, I swear, I'll beat you." Mac whispered at Dick who joked back writing on her face with a marker.

"Can I at least take a picture?" Dick questioned.

"Why would you want a picture of her sleeping, and Logan like this?" She was sure none of them were going to want to remember Logan looking like this.

"This is like a step in their relationship, and you know it!" Dick told her, pulling his cell phone out.

"You were told you couldn't have that back here!" Mac snapped, hitting him in the shoulder. "Put it away!"

"Touchy touchy." Dick said, sliding it back in his pocket. "So how do you think he got like this?" he asked nodding towards Logan.

"I don't know, but I bet it wasn't very fun." Mac grimaced and looked away. She couldn't look at how badly he was beaten.

"I wonder if he's still going to be able to surf again, I mean with how messed up his leg is." Dick sighed.

"It's a wonder how you get through life." Mac mumbled. "He's lucky he's alive, and all you're worried about is if he can surf again."

"Well yeah, I mean he's alive, so why worry about him being dead?" Dick asked honestly.

"You can think whatever you want, but that's the thing, you think it, you don't need to verbalize every through that crosses your mind."

"But then how would you know what I was thinking?" Dick asked.

"I'll ask if I really want to know." She sighed.

"Well, I still want to know if he's going to be able to surf again, cause if he can't I want that new board he got."

"Dick!" Mac swatted at the blond.

"What? It's a badass board, and it deserves to be put to use." Dick stepped away to miss getting hit. "I'm sure he'll feel the same way, when he comes to."

"What happened to being quite?" Logan asked.

"Sorry man, we just wanted to check on your and Ronnie." Dick gave a nervous laugh.

"Marshmallows and promises." Logan said with a smile on his swollen face. "Where is she?" His words were mumbled and slurred together, as though he was extremely drunk.

"Sleeping in the chair next to your bed." Dick said nodding over to the small body. "First time she's slept since you went MIA."

In was in that moment that they got to witness what the doctors meant when they said he would be in a lot of pain. He didn't have anything in his stomach, so when he started to heave, it was liquid that came up, but enough to make Mac say they needed to leave the room, only after she insisted that Dick move Veronica into a better position, and farther away from Logan so the nurses and doctors that came in wouldn't disturb her sleep.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: Yes the last one was super short. I did it on my phone, but I finally have internet again and things have settled down with the move. So thank you all for reading, it makes me feel super important every time I have a review, or am put on an alert list.**

The days that followed were hard. They weren't like on TV, how a patient wakes up from brain surgery and can have a normal conversation, appear pain free and happy to be alive. Logan was in a lot of pain, and due to the amount of pain killers in his system he wasn't lucid for more than a few moments of time. When he was awake, it was as though he was trying to wake up from a deep sleep, often times his words not making sense, and taken over by dry heaving because the pain was so intense. It was hard for everyone to watch him like that.

The sheriff's department often stopped by to see how he was doing, waiting for their chance to ask him questions about what had happened, how he had turned up at the hospital. The hospital staff shared that they weren't really sure how he had gotten there. It had been a rather slow day, when a man showed up, with Logan in his back seat. No one took the time to ask the man who he was when they saw the state that Logan was in.

Veronica had wanted to check the security tapes, and because Logan was a part of a missing persons case, Vinnie was able to view them. But they found nothing, it was as though the cameras malfunctioned right before Logan arrived, and started working again after. Veronica listened to everyone that was questioned, hoping to hear a description of the man, but no one could seem to remember what he looked like, or the type of car he was in. The most they got out of anyone was that the he was calm, and wore a lot of black.

It wasn't until she showed a picture to the security guard that first saw Logan that she got a better idea of how Logan had ended up there. And that is how she ended up at the Kane mansion again for the fourth time in under a month.

"You again, this is getting old." Clarence told her, but allowed her to pass. Even though he had taken all the needed steps to unsure no one would connect him to Logan's return to the hospital, he had figured she would find a way.

Veronica stared up at the man for a moment before offering him a smile of thanks. It wasn't often that she felt this grateful towards someone.

"Who's here?" Jake Kane asked coming to see who was been ringing the doorbell. It wasn't often that they had visitors. "Veronica?"

She turned to look at him, and felt a new wave of emotions sweep over her. It was as though she was taken back to that little girl she use to be, the innocent one, the one before Shelly's party, before Lilly was taken away from her, and before Duncan had left her. Her tears fell she ran to Jake and hugged him. Never in a million years did she think that she would be hugging Jake Kane, the man who had repeatedly hurt her father's career, but she had never been more thankful towards someone before.

Stunned, with his arms out to his sides, he looked down at the girl who hugged him. This certainly wasn't an action that he had expected from the Veronica Mars he had seen over the last few years, this was a flashback to the girl that had been his daughter's friend, the one that was always polite and greeted him and his wife whenever she was at the house.

"Thank you." Veronica whispered, pulling back and hiding her face to compose herself. It had been a roller coast of emotions that last few days.

"I take it Mr. Echolls has been found." Jake nodded, with a sad smile. He could tell that there was no longer a point in acting like he didn't know when she nodded at him. "I am sorry he wasn't in better condition. If I had known earlier…"

"It wouldn't have made a difference. He's going to be okay, and that's what matters." Veronica told him. She knew now that she owed him, he had done more than save Logan, he had saved her.

"Gory Sorokin has been dealt with as well." Jake told her. He wouldn't go into details about how the Castle handled this matter, but he assured her that he wouldn't be a threat to Logan anymore.

There was a still moment, where to two just stood looking at each other, unsure of what else to say.

"Can I ask you why?" Veroncia asked, breaking the silence between them. She knew that she wouldn't be able to put the matter to rest if she didn't know why he had helped her after all.

"Lilly loved that necklace." Jake finally said, pointing to her charm. "She begged for weeks for it."

Veronica's hand instantly went to her necklace and gave Jake a sad smile. The necklace was one of the most important things that Veronica had. But it was in that statement that Veronica was finally able to see. Veronica and Logan were all that Jake Kane had left of his children. Lilly was dead, and Duncan and fled the country, leaving Jake with nothing that memories he had of better days.

With his reason's finally making sense she moved to hug him again, but this time she hugged him the way she often hugged her father. She couldn't picture how he must feel inside, the way he must blame himself for losing both his children so close together. She knew that it was a pain no person she ever have to go through.

Even though she knew that she could never view Jake Kane as a truly decent person again, her perception of the man changed that day. It was hard for her to view him as the villain that she made him out to be so many times. In high school he was the villain that ruined her father, that kept Duncan away from her, that had an affair with her mother for years, and in college he was the villain who ran a secret society that cause her to do so many reckless things.

Maybe it was time that she start taking the blame for her actions, instead of placing it. She could forgive him for the Castle problems. She knew that he didn't approve of Gory releasing the video of her, and that it wasn't his fault she had broken into his house, took the hard drive, and then had her father cover things up for her. In fact he had the prosecution drop the charges the second he got his hard drive back.

Outwardly trusting him wasn't something that she was going to do. But it did feel good to know that if something did happen where she needed his help, she could count on him.

It had been years since Jake Kane had been hugged like, since he had felt any type of love. With the blond girls head on chest, he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back. He would never admit it, but it had been heart breaking to see how upset Veronica had been with Logan Echolls missing. He had known before that the two had dated, but it never occurred to him that he meant so much to Veronica and that she in return meant that much to him. It was nice to think that his children's best friends had found something in each other.

"Send my regards to Logan." Jake said as he opened the door for the blond a few moments later. He knew that he should go and visit the boy in the hospital, but he couldn't, there would always be something that held him back from seeking out Logan Echolls.

"Thank you again, for everything." Veronica said, with one last smile before leaving the Kane house. As she drove back into the heart of Neptune she couldn't help but wonder how many more times she would visit the Kane mansion.

"Mars." Someone called her name out, stopping her before she was able to open her car door.

"Awe my favorite super villain, have you not gotten enough of me yet?" Veronica asked, squinting into the sun as she looked up at the Clarence.

"I saved your boyfriend, is that really what you want to call me? I may not be so nice next time you need a favor."

"Who said I would need another one from you?" She wanted to forget that she had needed him, that she had called him because even before she left, she knew that she wouldn't be able to get him back on her own if Gorya truly had him.

"Maybe you won't."

She couldn't help but roll her eyes at him. Yes she was grateful for his help, but he was still the man that had taken her picture and placed a riffle scope over it. The same man that had helped give her mother a reason to leave.

"So what is it you need?"

"I have something for you." He pulled a simple white envelope out of his jacket pocket and handed it to her.

"What is it?" Veronica asked, looking at the envelope in disgust. She didn't like being handed unknown things, it had always lead to problems in the past.

"It's addressed to you, I might have a different set of morals, but even I wouldn't open someone else's mail."

Veronica didn't believe it for a second, but while she flipped the smooth paper over in her hands, she read her name in the simple perfect hand writing she knew so well. She could feel her heart jump into her throat and she looked backed up at him. "When?"

"I'm not a liberty to say."

"What can you tell me?"

"Honestly, if it was up to me, I wouldn't even be giving you that. You've nothing but a nuisance, and trouble always seems to follow you. I do hope that nothing more will come of this." He glanced down at the letter before going to his own car, and leaving her standing alone.

It took her a moment to regain full function, and open her car door. The paper that had moments ago seemed so light, now felt like a ton of bricks. With her hands gripping on the letter, staring at her name, she knew she had to make a choice.

She could open it, and tare her own heart apart, or she could pretend it never happened, erase this from her memory. The thought of Logan's long voicemail popped into her head. There was a moment in time that she regretted deleting it before she had listened to it. She knew that it would have changed things between them, it would have made her weak and feel the need to forgive him. But could this letter do the same thing? If she were to just throw it away, would she one day regret not reading it?

She couldn't think about this now. She couldn't deal with this now. She had other things to worry about, more important things to worry about. She quickly stuffed the letter in the middle car console, and pushed all thoughts from her mind. Later, she would deal with it later.


	15. Chapter 15

It was late that week that Logan was moved from the ICU to a private room, where the amount of visitors wasn't limited to a few at a time. Even though his pain level was still high, he didn't show it as much. Growing up with Aaron Echolls, he had learned to hide his pain at a young age.

"My dad wants to come by and see you man. He said something about you being the son he wished he had. I think he was referring to me." Dick told Logan.

"Not up for a visit from your old man." Logan mumbled. His face was still pretty swollen, and the pain was still a lot. His mind was often fuzzy from the pain killers.

"Yeah, I figured as much. Plus I don't think it'd be a good idea for him to be here, with that new sheriff stopping in all the time. I still can't believe he's serious about turning himself in. He's different now, not like the dad I remember, I wish Beav was still around to see him." Dick sighed, but he could tell from the uncomfortable look on Logan's face he didn't want to talk about Dick Sr. "Madison also called, she wants to come see you." He said after a long moment. It was still a sore subject between them, but he knew that he couldn't mention it around Veronica.

"God no." Logan said a little more clearly now. "How does she even know?"

"It's been all over the news man. You've got a bigger crowd of paparazzi than I've ever seen."  
Dick got up and went to look at the window, down towards the street where they were camped out, waiting to get a picture. "We get to use the staff entrance now cause Veronica threatened to release Mr. Sparky on one guy that was getting to close. It was pretty funny, I'm gonna keep my eyes out for her picture."

Logan tired to laugh at his comment, but it was painful, every part of himself that he could feel hurt.

"Trina still comes and goes through the front though." Dick went on. "But that's to be expected. You'd think that she's get tired of all it, now that she knows who her real parents are and everything. But she said that she's writing some tell all book about growing up adopted."

"Should be interesting." Logan told him. He was thankful that Dick was the only person there at the moment, it was nice not to feel like he needed to talk or answer questions. So many of the people that had come to visit him asked questions, and waited for him to say something. Dick would just keep talking, leaving Logan to listen and reply only when he wanted to.

"I wonder how long she's going to stick around." Dick thought. "She's been staying at the Grand, and as much as I love the ladies, I'll be happy to get my space back. I mean between her and Parker, I swear the room is starting to look girly." He went back to his chair, and took the TV remote off the bed side table and twirled it in his hand. "It'd be one thing having Ronnie stay there, or Mac, but with the tension between Parker and Trina, I've been sleeping in my dad's room just so I don't have to deal with them."

"What tension?" Logan asked.

"I don't know man, it's not like they've spoken to each other. But I can just tell they don't like each other. It makes me uncomfortable. It's like putting Ronnie and Parker in the same room, and expecting them to play nice." Dick said putting the remote back and leaning forward, resting his arms on his legs. "You've got some pretty scary ex's dude."

As Logan listened to Dick talk he started to think about the times that he had seen the women, not one of them had been in his room at the same time. He had played that off as allowing only one or two people in the ICU at a time, but now he had his own room, and although his head was clouded by the drugs, he couldn't remember any of them being there at the same time.

But before Logan could ask anymore about what happened, the room door opened, Veronica and Mac were laughing about something.

"Hey!" Dick said standing up quickly, smiling at the two girls. He hadn't seen much of Mac since Logan had been found, or much of Veronica for that matter.

"Hi." Mac said shyly standing next to her friend.

"We just thought we'd come by and see how our fighters doing today." Veronica smiled, seeing that Logan was awake. She hadn't spent much time in the room with him when he was awake, but she hadn't spent much time away from the hospital either.

"Yeah, he's good." Dick said stepping away from Logan's bed, putting his hands nervously in his pockets, unsure of how to act.

"I can see." Veronica said looking at Logan and over at Dick. Had they walked in on something, or was Dick just acting weird? "You're awake." She smiled, going closer to the bed to see him.

"Yeah." He turned his head a little to see her, "For now." He knew that he didn't stay awake for long periods of time. He would often fall asleep with someone in the room and wake up finding someone new there. The doctors had explained that the pain medicine would do that. His body needed rest to heal.

Veronica gave him a soft smile and sat down in the chair Dick had been in, moving it slightly closer to the bed, so she could rest her hand on top of his.

"I-uh." Mac said seeing Dick staring at her. "I'm going to go down to the cafeteria, you want anything?"

Veronica shook her head.

"I'll go with you!" Dick quickly offered, following her out of the room before Veronica had a chance to stare at them.

"They are acting rather strange today." Veronica noted when the door closed. She didn't wait for Logan to say anything. "The doctors say that you're healing nicely, and that all the stitches are holding." She liked it better when he was sleeping, when she wasn't forced to make conversation.

"Time heals all wounds." Logan told her, happy to see her smile.

"They also said that you should be ready to be released in two weeks. They want to keep you longer because of the swelling in your brain when you came in." her voice grew softer as she said it. It was hard to think about how bad he was, how broken his body was. It brought tears to her eyes to think about how easily she could have lost him.

"Veronica Mars, are those tears I see?" Logan asked, reaching up with his good hand to brush away the falling tear in her cheek. It hurt to move that much, and pulled in places that sent new waves of pain through his body, but having Veronica lean her face into his hand and kiss his palm was worth the pain he felt.

She knew that she could say something back to him, a million different come backs ran through her head, but she didn't want to say anything. She just wanted to feel his hand on her face, to feel his touch that she had missed. With her eyes closed, she pressed his lips into his palm and reached for his hand, holding it to her face for a moment before returning it to his side.

But there was no time for either of them to talk. Logan was still recovering from all his wounds, and as Veronica watched him, he was slowly pulled back into a medical induced slumber. As she watched him sleep she couldn't help but wonder if he could still have dreams or nightmares. She didn't want to imagine the things that he had gone through, but she knew that at some point it would haunt him.

It wasn't much later that Mac and Dick returned to the room, both looked slightly ruffled and flustered. She watched as Mac went to sit by the window, and Dick stayed on the other side of the room, neither one of them holding a coffee cup.

"Dick, will you go get some more ice?" Veronica asked, holding up the peachy colored bucket that was filled with ice.

Dick looked relived to have a reason to leave the room, and took the bucket before scrambling to get away from the two girls.

"Seriously!" Veronica said turning to look at Mac.

"What?" Mac asked, looking unsure of what her friend was talking about.

"Red lips, messy hair, untucked shirts. Do you take me for a fool?" she asked, sitting in the window seal next to her friend. She was hurt that she would try to keep something like this from her.

"Can't blame a girl for trying." Mac said, shoulders slumping in defeat.

"You and Dick, I mean really! Of all people, what happened to Max? I thought you liked Max, I thought you were happy in Maxville."

"And I thought you liked being in Piznyland." Mac told her. She hadn't want to talk to Veronica about this because she knew how her friend felt about Dick. Mac herself wasn't even sure how she felt about Dick. She didn't expect to like kissing him so much.

"That's a complicated situation." Veronica said, slumping back as well. Before she had even gotten off the plane from Virginia she had called Piz, leaving him a message explaining that Logan was in trouble, and she needed to go home. She had expected him to call her back, but he didn't. She hadn't heard a single word from him.

"As is mine." Mac told her. With a heavy sigh she told Veronica about how they were comforting each other the night she went to view the body, and had ended up kissing. "I wasn't looking for this, I wasn't even interested in him. It just happened."

"And Max?" she asked, thinking about the boy she had helped with girl trouble before. Veronica knew that on some level Mac and Max weren't right together. Mac had plans for her future, she wanted to do things, go places, and Max was content with dropping out and selling his 'study guides' for as long as he could get away with it. He wasn't pushing Mac in any direction, and that wasn't what Veronica wanted for her best friend. But really, Dick Casablancass! She couldn't see how he would be any better.

"I'm a cheater." She hung her head in shame. This wasn't the person that she wanted to be, this wasn't who she was.

"No." Veronica told her, seeing how upset it made her friend feel. "You'll handle Max the first chance you get."

"I guess, if you think about it, in a twisted way, its fate." Mac told her. "Dick and Madison, I mean Madison is suppose to be me, and me her."

She cringed at the mention of the other girl. "So you actually like Dick?" Veronica asked.

Mac shrugged. "I don't know. I swear I don't. I mean I haven't even had a chance to talk to Max with everything that's been going on."

"My lands." Veronica said shaking her head. "We're turning into real girls here Q."

"I know Bond, I know." Mac said with a smile. They were never much on girl talk, maybe that is why she hadn't told Veronica about Dick, or her doubts in her relationship with Max. It just wasn't something that they did. They weren't the girly type, and often times didn't view themselves as being real girls, just as being Veronica and Mac. But over the years they had found themselves in a few girl moments, that made them both giggle.


	16. Chapter 16

Ghost town. That's the thought that ran through Veronica's head as she stepped out of her car and into the Hearts parking lot. Saying that a college campus was deserted would be an understatement. She half expected a tumbleweed to blow across the parking lot, using her hand the block the blazing sun. Shifting her bag on her shoulder, and making sure her car was locked, she made her way across the empty parking lot. Like always Veronica Mars was on a mission.

Word had gotten out that she was back in town, well it was more like a picture of her pulling a teaser on some guy outside the hospital that was out. And with that word, came a phone call. Nish wanted to see her, and that was something that Veronica couldn't put off. She had put off going to talk to her dad, going to see the sheriff to talk about Logan, and the confutation with Parker.

"Nish." Veronica said pulling out the chair across from her. Just like the parking lot, the cafeteria was nearly deserted.

"I wasn't sure you'd come." Nish said looking up from her book, surprised.

"I do live to do the unexpected."

"I was going to come by your dad's place." Nish said leaning forward and looking around them, before focusing on Veronica.

"You already got me here, no need to try and reel me in." Veronica told her.

"I think I'm being followed." Nish whispered.

It was an unusually thing for the head of the Lilith House to say. She was a strong woman, and Veronica knew that she could stand on her own, it was a fact that Nish was proud of. She wasn't one to ask for help, or accept it.

"And you just automatically thought of me?" Her and Nish never had a great relationship, although when they first met Veronica had thought that she would like her, she had respect for her. But it was all quickly lost with the push to find a story, and the fake rapes. To Veronica rape was a touchy subject.

"Your dad, actually. But now that you're back, I figured it'd be best to speak with you first. Trust me, I hate turning to you."Nish snapped.

"Well if you hate it so much." Veronica said, moving to stand.

"Wait!" Nish had her hand out, stopping her. "Shouldn't you be jumping at the chance to have something to throw back in my face?"

Veronica sat back down. She hadn't seen Nish since she had given her the names of all the Castle members.

"I don't have proof that anyone is following me, but weird things have been happening." Nish whispered.

"Care to elaborate?"

"I came home a few days ago, and someone had opened some of my mail, nothing was missing, but the envelopes had all been opened and put back in the box. I drove to campus and parked, headed towards the library, and forgot a book, when I went back someone was going through my car. They ran off before I saw them." Nish relived others encounters of the person she thought was following her.

"When did all of this start?" Veronica asked. She was curious to know now who was after the head of the Lilith house. There was been so many scandals and controversy surrounding the feminist group the last year, Veronica wasn't truly surprised.

"About a week ago, I guess, that's when I started noticing things." Nish told her. "You don't think it's connected to the list of names you gave me, do you?"

"Does anyone know you have the list?" Veronica asked, she was fairly certain that Nish hadn't turned in the names yet, but she wasn't sure if she had kept her mouth shut.

"No, I mean I've been corresponding with the lawyers, but I haven't given them the list yet."

"Well I won't rule it out, but it seems unlikely." Veronica told her. She pulled her phone out when she would hear it vibrating in her bag. Looking down at the caller she sighed. "I can't really promise you give this case my full attention right now, not with everything else that's going on." She barely had time to see her dad, she wasn't sure how she would add Nish into her days.

It wasn't that Veronica was doing much, or that she really had much to do, but emotional she was spread as thin as she could be. No matter where she had found herself over the last few days her thoughts always seemed to drift back to Logan. Emotional, he was all she could handle right now.

"I'm not expecting you to find out what's going on." Nish sighs. "I still want to go to your father. I just thought I should tell you, with the Castle connection and what not."

"Give me a week, I'll come by and put some cameras up and let me know if anything happens." Veronica told her before getting up and leaving her at the table. She wasn't sure what she would be able to find out, she didn't have much to go off, but she was after all Veronica Mars, she didn't need much.

As she headed back towards her car she saw another familiar face walking towards her.

"Ratner." Veronica said, stopping to talk to the boy.

"Mars." Ratner rolled his eyes. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

Veronica glanced at the group of people he was with, and only smiled at them. Some of them she had seen before. "Meeting up with a friend."

"You have friends?" he asked, making the group laugh.

"You know better than to get on my bad side Jeff." Veronica warned.

He watched her for a moment, as though he was trying to see if she was serious. "I haven't seen you at the Grand."

"I do have my own place." Veronica told him. "And I have no reason to visit a hotel."

"So does that mean when Dick and Logan move out, I won't have to see you anymore?"

"Why wait that long, you could just transfer schools, make life easier for all of us." Veronica smiled. She could tell he didn't have another comeback, and with a tip of her fake hat, and a small bow, she left him standing there.

Although Jeff Ratner was kind enough to check around about Gory Sorokin, it didn't help him any. He had wronged Veronica from the beginning, and called her a cheater. That wasn't something that she wouldn't be able to look past.

By the time she made it back to her car, her phone was going off again. Again, Dick was calling her. She was sure she had gotten more calls from him in the last week than ever in her life.

"What?" she sighed, opening the phone. She had seen him a few hours ago at the hospital.

"Veronica, gosh, you have a cell phone for a reason." Dick told her.

"I do, so you can annoy me even when I'm not around you." Veronica told him.

"Yeah, well, also so I can inform you that Logan had a seizure." Dick's voice filled her head.

"He what?" he had been doing so well, the doctors had told her that he was doing better.

"Yeah, not very long after you took off. I thought he was sleeping, so I started watching some TV, and then next thing I know he's shaking on the bed. It was crazy."

If she wasn't Veronica Mars, she was sure that her whole body would be shaking with worry. She didn't know much about seizures, but she knew where Logan had stitches, she knew how painful it was for him to move, and she couldn't imagine what this would mean.

"I'll be right there."


	17. Chapter 17

A reaction to the medicines, brain infection, head injury, Veronica was met with a number of causes to Logan's seizure, but no one had a definite answer for her. Why were so many of her questions left without answers? It was frustrating but reassured her that she would never want to go into the medical field.

"We're going to watch him more closely, just to make sure." The doctor explains.

"And if it's an infection, how can you tell?"

"There are tests that we can run, but we have to keep an eye on him first. It's not the most likely cause, but it has happened before." The worry is apparent on the young girls face. "1 in every 10 people has a seizure once in their life time. And with all the trauma Mr. Echolls has experienced, I'm surprised he hasn't had one before now."

"Did it affect him at all?" Veronica asks, she can see Logan through in the window in his door. She needs all the facts before she goes into the room. She needs to know what to expect.

"Not that we're aware of. But I am going to schedule him for some more tests, and I will be able to tell you more then."

His words aren't reassuring, and she wonders if he knows that. How is she going to face him, not knowing if he is okay?

"Thanks." She nodded at the doctor before he walked off. The staff here as been very accommodating, and she knew that it isn't easy with the press camped outside, the officers walking the halls, and of course the constant flow of people.

To the nurses and doctor, Logan's room seemed to be a revolving door. There was a constant stream of people coming and going to his room. Most of them seemed to understand and follow the simple visiting hours, but there were a few people that didn't seem to grasp the concept fully, Dick mainly. They had found it hard though to turn anyone away that was approved by Logan Echolls. He had quickly charmed all the female nurses and joked with the men. He might dislike the majority of people, but they all seem to love him.

The room was filled with the normal visitors, and even though Veronica had made it a point to avoid Parker, she knew that she couldn't not be there. When she entered the room, everyone turned to her for answers. Because she was listed on both his school papers and insurance papers, the doctors could only share medical information with her or Trina, until they were given permission from Logan.

"They aren't too worried, but they want to run some tests." Veronica forced herself smile at the group. She watched as Dick moved from his chair to offer it to her. Before she would have thought it unusual, but maybe this was the real Dick.

"Do they have any idea what caused it?" Luke asked, his arms crossed in front of him. This is his first time coming to visit Logan, and Veronica knew he hadn't been back from UCLA for very long.

"The doctor said there could be a few reasons, but they aren't sure yet. He's had a lot of head trauma, so I guess it's normal in a way." Veronica offered. She wasn't sure if she was saying it correctly, or even if she understood all of what she was told.

The group is silent while they all look at the beaten boy in the bed. Dick had informed Veronica that he hadn't woken back up since the seizure, and the doctors in return told her that it was normal. He was finally starting to resemble the Logan Echolls they all knew. The swelling was down for the most part, and now his body was covered in ugly dark bruises.

"Well I for one can't sit here and watch him sleep all day." Trina says with an overly dramatic sigh. "Veronica, call me if you hear anything." Trina tells her before leaving the room.

A few more moments passed and Luke took his leave as well, asking them to let Logan know he'll come by again. They don't sit there for long before Mac and Parker both decide to get something to eat.

"I'm surprised the food here isn't that bad." Mac informs Veronica. "They make a decent veggie burger."

"Hospital food, edible? What an outrage!" Veronica gives her a shocked look. "You really should find someone to complain to about that."

"It's better than the food they served us in high school." Mac tells her with a smile.

"Now that truly is an outrage," Veronica laughs.

"You guys want anything?" she asks, pointing to Dick.

"I'll come with you." Dick offers, not waiting to sit alone with Veronica now that she knows about Mac.

"Oh Dick, don't tell me you finally fear me?" Veronica says looking at him. "After all these years, you're finally scared to be alone in a room with me. I knew I was doing something wrong in high school."

"You did a lot wrong in high school." Dick tells her, glancing at Mac out of the side of his eye.

When the room is finally empty, she moves her chair closer to his head, pulling her feet up under her she reaches for his hand. His fingers are cold, and she knows that he's been out for a long time.

"I really need you to get better." She sighs, looking at how her fingers fit within his. The only time she held his hand like this is when he's asleep, afraid he'd object. "It hurts too much to think that something else could happen to you."

The warmth of her hand is what brings him back around, fighting his way through the cloudiness in his brain. It's easy to follow her voice then, to wake up the rest of the way when he heard her talking.

"I don't know what'd I do if something happened to you." Her voice is soft and sad. She doesn't normally speak her mind like this, but if she doesn't she finds that she dreams of Logan in ways that don't allow her to sleep.

Her words make him smile. It's been a long time since he felt like she cared about him, since he felt like he mattered. Veronica was the first person to make him feel like he wasn't a piece of shit, like he actually mattered as a person. Even Lilly had made him feel like he was worthless. She had used him, abused him, and often times left him sad and alone. Veronica had always been very careful of their relationship and her feelings towards him.

"I need you Logan." Was the last thing she whispered to him before closing her own eyes to fight back the tears. She couldn't have been like this in front of everyone, it would have worried all of them. She couldn't share the number of causes with them, because she knew that Parker would freak out over something like an infection, that Dick wouldn't be able to understand.

"Do you always mutter lies to your hospitalized ex boyfriends?" Logan asked, getting her attention.

Veronica sat up quickly, dropping his hand, and staring at him.

"Veronica Mars needs no man." Logan tells her. It was something she had told him many times over the years, it was one of the many problems they had as a couple. Veronica was so sure that she could handle everything on her own, and always wanted Logan to watch from the sidelines.

"What makes you think you're a man?" Veronica asks with a small smile.

Logan wanted to laugh, but it hurt. "Your humor hurts." He told her.

Veronica made a mental note to remember that it still hurt him to laugh. The last thing she wanted was for him to hurt anymore.

"Why the need for me to get better?" he whispers, patting the side of bed and lifting his arm so she could be closer to him.

Veronica moved to sit on the edge of his small hospital bed, his arm falling back down across her lap. Even though there had been many words exchanged between the two, there is a feeling, one that seems to buzz through the room. She reached up and touched the cut above his eye, pushing his hair to the side.

"Who would I be without Logan Echolls?" she whispers back to him with a true smile tugging both her lips up.


	18. Chapter 18

She sat in front of her computer, looking at the unopened e-mail. The night that her father took her home from the hospital to try and sleep, she had e-mailed Wallace in Africa. She hadn't been sure when he would get her message because she didn't know how often they would have access to computers or internet. But now, sitting in her inbox there it was, his response to her crazy actions.

_What the hell V! You know if I was there, I'd try to slap some sense into you. When I first read your e-mail I thought it had to be a joke, but then I saw I had five, FIVE from Piz. You, of all people know that I don't like being pulled into your relationship drama. I am NOT a girl. This is what you have Mac for, to talk about this girl shit. I am a man, we don't talk about this. Do a brother a favor, be gentle with Piz, he doesn't deserve this, even if I warned him._

_So what's the word? The internet is slow here, so I can't really google it and find out. Be careful, I'm not there, and I don't want to worry about you._

_And seriously girl, you left the F.B.I. for this, I hope you know what this means. I have rights to rub this in your face. I shouldn't be surprised though, you and Logan, it's written in the stars or something. You've got to find it in yourself to let it go, whatever happened last time, let it go girl. There isn't anyone out there that is going to make you as crazy as this._

_Africa is amazing by the way, thanks for asking. The heat here doesn't even compare to back home. And the kids, it all really gives meaning to Apollo's book, what he went through. Right now we're just mostly hanging out at a refugee camp, building schools, passing out supplies. It's pretty cool though. _

_I don't know when I will be back into one of the main cities to check my e-mail, so please, please try not to do anything drastic while I'm gone._

_Stay safe!_

_Wallace_

"Isn't that nice, Piz can find the time you e-mail you, but gosh forbid he e-mail me." Veronica mutters to herself as she types a quick reply.

_Oh my greatest side kick,_

_Think not what you can do for yourself, but what you can do for all those children. Apollo would be happy to hear from you about your time and the work you're doing. Do you have his email? I am glad that you're enjoying your time there, and finding your work to be rewarding, but seriously, be a little nicer to the super hero here._

_JK helped recover Logan from god knows where. His injuries were pretty bad, but he's on the mend, he's lucky he lived. The FBI is here, investigating the GS situation, so did I truly leave them, if they have come to me? HAHA_

_And forgive him? What happened to you being a man? That star line was pretty girl, even for me. But have no fear side kick, this super hero has got everything under control, and hopefully I'll have everything figured out by the time you get back._

_I miss you too, and don't drink the water!_

_Love V_

This was the first chance that Veronica had to handle all the other daily things in her life, checking her e-mail, listening to voice mails, looking at the footage from the cameras she put up at Nish's house the day before. But with a heavy sigh, she knew there is one more thing she needed to handle today, and it won't get any easier the longer she puts it off. With a simple swipe of her finger across her phone, Piz's name popped up.

She took a deep breath in preparation before hitting send. She half expected it to go to voice mail, or have him hang up on her. She knew if it was her, she wouldn't want to talk to herself.

"Hello?" his strained voice came from the other end.

"Hi." Veronica said softly. Is there any good way to do this, to handle this? She's already ripped his heart out.

"I figured you'd call, sooner or later." Piz sighs, uncomfortable.

"Piz, I'm so sorry." She starts, but stopped herself. Nothing she can tell him is going to change how she left, or the fact that all she gave him was a simple voicemail stating the Logan was missing and she had gone back to Neptune.

There is silence on both ends of the phone.

"How is he?" Piz sighs.

Veronica felt the tears sting her eyes, but she does her best to brush them away, to keep her voice steady. Piz truly is a great man. "He's lucky." She whispers. She can't relive the details over the phone because it hurts too much to say it out loud, and because she doesn't want this to be about Logan, she needs this to be about them. But who is she kidding, Logan is a part of her, no matter how hard she tried to deny it.

"And you?" more concern leaking in his voice now.

"I'm okay." She tells him. "Piz…I wish there was something I could say." She really did. She wanted there to be something she could say that would make everything better, easier.

"Veronica, actions speak loud than words." Piz finally tells her. "I should have seen it the day he punched Gory, the way he looked at you, the way you looked at him. Hell I should have seen it that night at Parker's party."

"What?" Veronica wasn't sure what he meant by Parker's party. Although that had been the start of them, she didn't remember any real moment between her and Logan.

"He sent over the worse guy for you at the party. He didn't want you finding anyone else, but I was blind to it the second you wrapped your arms around my neck." Piz told her.

Veronica hadn't thought about that night in a long time. Logan had sent someone over to meet her, because he had told her that she should expand her horizons, look for men outside the ones she already knew. The guy she had talked to had been horrible, clingy, and creepy. She hadn't thought about how that was Logan's doing until now. But her heart hurt when she thought about how she had used Piz that night, how it had all started with him kissing her.

She had been so happy with Piz, things with him were so different, normal. She felt like she was truly apart of his life, and he was a part of hers. She didn't feel pressured with him, and she liked that, she liked the fact that their relationship was so normal. They had no past secrets, nothing hidden from each other. She truly trusted Piz.

"It was only a matter of time. I see that now." Piz told her his tone turning sad. "You aren't ready to let go of Logan, and that's okay, you've been through a lot with him, and he needs you right now." His words were soft, gentle.

"But Piz-" she started.

"No, right now Logan needs you." His voice a little more stern now, and she can tell that he's been thinking about this a lot. "We can talk again when I get back, when we've both had some time, and things aren't as complicated."

This is why she had fallen for him. He was able to give her what she needed, time to figure it all out for herself. Piz was understanding, thoughtful, and generous. She knew that he should be mad, he should be yelling at her, calling her all sorts of names, but that wasn't the type of person he was. After Logan had beaten him up, Piz had found actual ways to joke about it, not letting himself be mad at Logan, but understanding. It was all these reasons that made Veronica's heart get pulled in a different direction when she talked to him.

She had every intention of officially ending things with him. Explaining that it wasn't fair to do this to him, and she couldn't keep it up. But he had turned the tables on her, he had given her time.

"I'll see you in a few weeks." He tells her before ending the call.


	19. Chapter 19

"This is the cool place you wanted to meet? I knew your taste was bad, I just didn't think it was this bad." Nish sighed sitting down across from Veronica.

Veronica found herself seated in The Hut, exactly one week after her meeting with Nish on campus. She had watched everyone that had come and go, seen the mail delivered, but she hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary. There wasn't anyone looking through the windows, opening the mail, or larking around the porch. Nor had Nish reported any other out of place things happening.

"So you think I'm crazy, making this up?" Nish asked, she was always good at jumping to conclusions.

"I didn't say that. I told you that I would watch, see if I found anything, and I didn't. I'm not saying that nothing's happened, I'm just saying I didn't catch anyone doing anything." Veronica tried to explain. Normally she would have had some witty come back, an eye roll, something to say that would annoy Nish, but she had spent the last week two weeks explaining Logan's medical condition every time she turned around.

"So what's the next step?" Nish asked after a long deep breath.

What was the next step? Normally she would have five different plans running through her head, a stake out, a set up, something, but right now she was coming up blank. "I'll take it to my dad, he's got more time on his hands, but it will cost more."

"Money isn't the issue." Nish told her. "So seriously, what's up with the coffee joint?" she asked motioning around with the one. "It's like a place out of Saved By the Bell."

"This is nowhere near as cool as The Max!" Veronica laughed. "I worked here in high school, and I'm meeting a friend for coffee before going back to the hospital."

"Right, you know that kid, Logan Echolls." Nish had seen the story in the paper. "You know if I was still in charge of the school paper, I'd want to interview you, get the real story. I don't buy that B.S. they've been printing."

Veronica hadn't even bothered to read the stories in the paper. They had all agreed the night Logan had been found not to talk to the press until he was ready. They couldn't control what the police said, or the rumors that circled with the F.B.I. showing up, but they didn't need to add anything more to the story.

"Yeah, but you had to fake rapes, and lose your credibility." Veronica rolled her eyes, a sore subject between the two. She knew the way Nish worked. She wasn't going to say anything about Logan.

"Is that really the road you want to go down?" Nish asked, tensing up.

"No." Veronica told her. "I'll keep the cameras on, talk to my dad, and be in contact in a few days. And don't forget to call if anything happens."

"What I don't get to stay for coffee?" Nish asked.

"My friend just walked in." Veronica said smiling at Mac who was making her way back towards them. "I'll be in touch." She gave Nish on last nod.

Mac didn't seem to notice Nish as she walked by her, and took the seat she had just been in. Her expression was confused as she glanced over her shoulder.

"I'm right here." Veronica says waving her hand in front of her friend. "And that guy is going to think you're checking him out if you keep looking back there."

"Huh?" Mac asks, looking over her shoulder again, shaking her head. "Oh, sorry." She sighs finally facing her friend. "I could have sworn that someone followed me."

"What?" Veronica asked, taking a moment to glance around The Hut. Once she had stopped working there, they had all stopped hanging out there as much. She didn't want to spend more time there than needed, so there hadn't been a real reason to go by. But being back in Neptune for the summer wasn't on her To Do List.

There was nothing out of the ordinary. Veronica could see Jude, the young hostess in training struggling to remember tables, with the two waiters watching from behind the counter. There were a few other people seated at tables, all of them had been there when she first walked in. A young man, that Veronica recognized from her days at The Hut, and the elderly couple that had followed Mac in.

"I parked a few blocks over. I was at the computer store, and figured I just walk over here. At first I thought it was just someone else going to the computer store, but no one came in after me, and now again, coming here." Mac shook her head, as though she was trying to shake the crazy notion away. Who would want to follow her?

"Did you see anyone?" Veronica asked.

"There was this guy, that's who I thought it was. I must just be losing it. I haven't gotten a lot of sleep this week." She said with a yawn. No one had gotten much sleep this week, but Mac had a new thing to add to her own personally list of reasons. "I finally talked to Max."

The thought of Mac being followed was fully pushed from Veronica's head at the mention of Max. She knew that her friend was struggling with what was happening, the unspoken kiss between her and Dick.

"How'd that go?" Veronica asked, smiling up as the waiter set two coffees down in front of them. She had the foresight to order before Mac made it.

"Awful. I'm pretty sure I'm a horrible person, and I'm going to hell." She slumped back into her chair, not even bothering to smell the sweet aroma of the fresh coffee. "I made him cry! Like actually cry, I've never seen a guy cry."

Veronica couldn't repress her laugh. Sure, she liked Max, he was a good guy, and she knew right away that he and Mac would have a lot in common, both of them being into computers. But that didn't mean that she liked them together forever. Max was too much of a geek for Mac.

"Don't laugh!" Mac told her leaning forward to wrap her hands around the warm cup. "It's not funny at all."

"It is, a little." Veronica smiled at her over the top of her own cup. "I mean, he cried, who does that?"

"He does apparently. But it's all taken care of. I told him that it was time we go our separate ways. Did you know he failed out of college?" Mac asked with a horrified expression. "That's not an easy thing to do, you have to actually try in order to fail out."

"Or never go to classes, which is what he ended up doing." Veronica told her. She felt bad for her friend, she was clearly upset by the reaction of the break up, and not the actually break up.

"Logan missed like two months of one of his classes, and he still managed to pass!" Mac told her.

"How do you know?" Veronica asked giving her a quizzically look. Veronica knew that Mac and Logan had spent some time together when he was dating Parker, but she didn't think it was enough to know things like that.

"I may have hacked into the system to check Dick's grades." Mac blushed. She hadn't done it on purpose, but after that first kiss, she had needed reassurance that Dick wasn't the same guy he was in high school, that he took things more seriously.

"You little law breaker you!" Veronica teased.

"I've done way worse for you!" Mac exclaimed with an eye roll.

"So why check up on Dick?"

Mac shrugged her shoulders, they were dangerously close to girl talk, and that always seemed awkward to her, even if it was with her best friend. They never related to normal girls, so they didn't have many girl talk moments. "I wanted to see what kind of student he was."

"And what'd you find out?"

"Student records are confidential, I can't tell you that!" Her fake horror was over the top and funny. "He is actually doing pretty well, which is weird because I didn't think he was going to graduate."

"Dick? Doing well?" Veronica asked with a raised eyebrow. "You sure it's not fixed or something?" It seemed odd to her that Dick would actually be getting passing grades and enough so that Mac said he was doing _pretty well_.

"Yeah, that's why I checked Logan's because I knew they had some of the same classes, and group projects." Mac told her. "Dick actually has a higher GPA than Logan right now, but not by much."

"Wow, I guess he's not a dumb blond, and here I thought it was more than just a stereotype." Veronica ended with an overly girl voice, and a hair flip. Her action made her friend smile at her, and that was what Veronica had wanted. There hadn't been a lot of smiles among them since she returned to Neptune.

A few moments went past before Mac spoke again. "What?"

"What, what?" Veronica asked looking up at her.

"You've got that look in your eye, like you're trying to figure out how to word whatever it is you want to ask me." Mac told her. "I know you, you forget this."

Veronica laughed, it was true, Mac did know her pretty well. "Okay." She sighed. "So does this mean you and Dick, are going to be a couple now?" it was weird and there were many pauses in her sentence, because she knew it was a hard question to ask.

Mac's face turned serious for a second while she thought about it, but then quickly smiled. "No. This just means that I am not cheating on anyone and am free to explore what else the world holds for me."

"Like Dick Casablancas?" Veronica asked, knowing the question would push the conversation into full blown girl talk.

"Does this mean we can talk about Logan?" Mac asked, knowing that would quickly end Veronica's interest in Dick. "Because I would really like to know what's going on there."

Veronica shook her head smiling at her friend. "Nothing is going on there. And don't think you can just switch the subject and make me forget."

"Veronica, you came home for him, you can't tell me that's not nothing. He almost died for you, that's not nothing. This dance you two have, it's hurt other people, innocent people, Parker and Piz."

"Mac, honestly." Veronica said softly, looking down at her half empty coffee before looking back up at her friend. "I don't know."

It was Veronica's eyes that showed Mac how truly confused and scared she was. Veronica had always guarded her feelings, and that's why it was so hard for new people to come into their group of friends, for Veronica to see past the high school Dick and the now Dick, and for her to be angry at Parker. Mac knew the night of Parker's party, and even before then that Veronica was struggling with the fact that she and Logan were dating. It was clear in the way she wouldn't speak about it, or come by the room anymore. But Veronica wouldn't express any of that. And just like now, she wouldn't express what she was feeling, because she didn't know how. Mac wasn't sure when it had happened, but she guessed around the time Lilly Kane had been murdered, that Veronica had started to bottle up all her emotions towards her friends.


	20. Chapter 20

_Papa Bear,_

_You wouldn't believe the things that have taken place in Neptune this summer. I swear body snatchers have come through here, replacing our friends with alien versions of themselves. They look like Mac and my dad, but they don't act like them. Who are these people?_

_Dad hasn't brought up leaving the F.B.I. since the first week I was back, in fact I've hardly seen him. I'm at the hospital most of my waking hours, or trying to help Nish out. She thinks someone's stalking her. And my dad isn't playing the concern card at all._

_And Mac has the hots of Dick Casablanacas. That's like you saying you're dating Madison Sinclair (which if you were did, we would never EVER be friends again)! Seriously, no one would find your body._

_Alien's I swear! It's the only explanation I can come up with to explain the strange behaviors they are displaying._

_I gave Apollo you're email address, I told him what you've been up to. He wants to talk to you when you get home and he's back from his book tour. His movie is really taking off, it's getting a lot of talk. _

_When do you get home? It's not the same sharing these things over e-mail as it is telling you. Neptune really is a boring place without you. I don't know how I will make it the rest of the summer. Every time I go somewhere I am expecting to see you. I miss you!_

_Love V_

* * *

Veronica sat in the empty hospital room with her lap top in front of her. The nurse had come to take Logan for some testing. He had been in the hospital for almost two weeks now and things were finally starting to look up. She had given Vinnie the heads up that today would be the perfect day for coming by to ask his questions. She hadn't wanted to ask him much yet, and that was mainly because he wasn't really awake long enough to have a full conversation. But he was better now, and the doctor had told her that they were cutting back on the pain medication.

"Well where is he? Help him escape the country?" Vinnie asked, looking at the empty hospital room.

"I don't know what you're referring too, but I'm sure the F.B.I. would love to speak with you." Veronica said slowly, looking up from her screen. The F.B.I. agent that had come to talk to her the morning Logan turned up at the hospital, he had been the first and so far only person to speak to Logan about what had happened. Veronica had been asked to leave the room one morning, and had to sit outside of the door for over an hour waiting, straining to hear anything through the heavy metal door. Why couldn't these hospital rooms be like the ones on TV, sliding glass doors, leaving no privacy?

"Only if I get to bring you down with me." Vinnie flashed her a grin before walking around the room.

Veronica watched him. She wasn't use to seeing him in uniform, and she wasn't sure it fit him well. "The color really does nothing for you Vinnie." She told him. There was no point at holding a grudge against the man, it was her fault her father had lost to him.

"Yeah, I'm working on changing the uniforms up a little." Vinnie told her.

"You're the sheriff now, not a P.I. anymore, you don't get much of a say in the uniform." Veronica rolled her eyes at him. It was hard to picture him as a sheriff, and he was nowhere near as good as her father, but he wasn't Lamb. She knew that if she went to him with a rape, he wouldn't tell her to go see the wizard. What she didn't know was whether he would send the Fitzpatrick's after her.

"Where's your boy at?" Vinnie asked he wasn't there to play around. He didn't like the way the F.B.I. had brushed him off, and he wasn't going to just let this case rest.

"_Logan_ is getting his final screenings done." She closed her computer and tucked it back into her messenger back. "He should be back soon though."

"Final?" Vinnie asked, sitting in an empty plastic chair. "He's doing better than the last time I was here."

"He doesn't like hospitals, and wants to be released as soon as possible. He's hired a nurse to come in and look after him until the doctors clear him. He's going home the second he's stable enough." Veronica didn't want to explain why Logan hated hospitals. The fit he had thrown one day was still fresh in his mind.

_"Hey sleepy head." Parker smiled at him as his eyes slowly opened, a few heavy blinks._

_It took him several minutes to wake all the way up, to come out of the hazy of the drugged sleep. Where was he? This wasn't the room he had been thrown into, this place was too bright, and Park and Trina were standing over him. It was the beeping, and the way Parker glanced up at something that made him aware of where he was. He tried to reach of the IV he knew would be in his arm, he wanted to pull it off, but the pain made him stop._

_"Logan." Trina knew that his heart rate was going up, she could read the panic in his eyes. "Logan it's okay."_

_"I don't want to be here." Logan whispered, his throat hurt and his voice was rough. "I need to leave."_

_All the beeping had signaled for a nurse and nearby doctor to come into the room, and the sight of the doctors seemed to enrage Logan more. His pain seemed to not matter anymore as he struggled to sit up in the bed, and remove his IV._

_"No!" he said firmly as the nurse and doctor tried to push him back down. "I don't want to be here!" Logan shouted._

_"Logan, stop!" Veronica said reaching for his hand, it was clear that even the doctors weren't going to be able to stop him. She knew, she knew that when he was awake along enough to realize what was going on that he wasn't going to be okay with it. "It's okay." She whispered as the nurse stepped back allowing her to stand closer to him. She had one hand in his much larger one, and her other on the top of his hand. "I know." She whispered into his ear. When she pulled back, standing up, she looked into his swollen eyes and gave him a small smile. _

_"I don't want to be here." He whispered to her._

_"You're safe here, Mr. Echolls." The doctor said, unaware of how that wouldn't make him feel any better._

_"I am not Mr. Echolls." Logan said, not looking away from Veronica. "I'm not him."_

_"You can go home when you're better, when you're out of the ICU." Veronica had to hold back from wanting to hit the doctor. She wanted to explain to him that Logan had spent more time in the hospital than other children ever should, and at the hands of Mr. Echolls, but she knew that Logan needed her more. "He can go home soon, right?" this was the only time she pulled her eyes away from him, looking for conformation. _

_"Once he's safe, and in the clear, he will be released from the hospital." The doctor told her._

_"No." Logan shook his head. "I want to go home, now."_

_"You can't go home yet." Trina told him._

_"You're not ready to go home, you're body isn't ready yet. You still have a lot of healing to do." The doctor tired to explain._

_He looked at Veronica, his eyes pleading, she understood, why couldn't she take him home?_

_"A home nurse. Can he leave sooner if he gets a nurse to come in and watch after him?" Veronica asks._

_"I"- it was clear the doctor didn't know what to say. Normally, given his status, they could give him whatever he wanted, but with all the trauma his had been through it was hard to say if a nurse away from the hospital would be best. "I'll look into it."_

_"Soon." Veronica whispered turning back to Logan, to watch at the medication the nurse put into his IV started to take effect._

_"I don't want to be here." He whispered to her again, before his eyes became heavy._

"He was awake long enough to speak to the F.B.I., and hire a nurse." Vinnie was annoyed. "But you're just now getting around to letting me see him."

"I hired a nurse, and the F.B.I. had the doctors reduce his pain meds so he'd be able to answer their questions. They want to talk with him more once he's released." Veronica informed him. "You should feel happy that you're getting to talk to him. I'm sure if Logan got his own way, he'd rather not speak with you at all."

"I'm the sheriff, I shouldn't have to wait for your approval." Vinnie rolled his eyes.

"And you shouldn't be the sheriff, but you don't hear my complaining."

It wasn't but a few minutes later that the door opened again, and Logan was wheeled into the room, two nurses and an orderly behind him.

"You leave on a bed, and come back in a chair." Veronica smirks. Logan was getting tired of being in bed, and even in his high state, he made that known.

"We compromised." One of the nurses told her. "If he stayed awake the whole time, we'd give him a chair."

"Couldn't go back on that." Logan said as he was lifted into the bed. "And I even have a guest." He glanced at Vinnie before looking at Veronica. "Was this on the schedule?"

Veronica couldn't help but smile at him. It had been a long two weeks, and there had been days that she wasn't sure her Logan would ever return. But when the doctors had started to reduce his medications, he had started to come back full force.

"I've got a few questions for you, kid." Vinnie said standing up.

Logan waited for the hospital staff to leave before looking up at Vinnie. "I have a few myself."

"Logan." Veronica sent him a warning look.

"Who took you? Where'd you end up? Who found you?" Vinnie asked, pulling out a flip pad.

"How did you win the election?" Logan responded after thinking about the sheriffs questions. "I mean seriously, who would vote for you?"

"You want to do this the hard way?" Vinnie asked. If Veronica wasn't sitting in the room, he was sure that he would use other ways to get the kid to talk.

"It's a valid question." Logan smirked.

"I thought you said he was ready to talk." Vinnie looked back at Veronica. "Want to explain to him that kidnapping and assault is serious?"

"I know how serious it is, but I'm the victim here, so I'll be sure to let you know when I'm ready to talk to you." Logan told him before shooing him away with his hand. He didn't like the fact that he was in his hospital room, asking him questions he didn't want to answer in front of Veronica.

He had seen the way she had leaned forward in her seat, waiting to hear what he was going to say, wanting to know what had happened. He didn't want to relive the details with her, that was something that he could spare from her. She had seen so much already in her young life, he didn't want to put images of his torture in her mind.

"Don't waste my time again." Vinnie spat before leaving.

"Logan." Veronica sighed, getting up and pulling her chair closer to his bed. "You've got to talk to him, as much as we don't agree, he is the sheriff. You're going to have to talk about what happened, to Vinnie, to the F.B.I. agents, to me."

How could he tell her no?

"Veronica." Logan sighed. "The people that need to know what happened will." That's all he can give her for now, but he knows that she won't be satisfied with so little.

"And I don't need to know?" Her voice broke at one point, showing more emotion that she had meant to show.

"Not yet sugarpuss, not yet." He smiled and reached for her hand, closing his eyes, knowing that she would let him rest.


	21. Chapter 21

**AN: I'm officially on winter break come Friday, and I wanted to update before I take off to where I'm escaping the cold. If I do not update before I go back to work, Happy Holiday's and wishing you all an amazing new year! Oh yes, and today is 12/12/12. I can't express how happy this day makes me, and yet how sad we won't see another one from 89 years.  
**

Veronica's phone ringing is what woke Logan up a few hours later. Her ringtone was soft, quieter than the sound of the constant beeping, but it was enough to wake him from his nap.

"Sorry." She mumbled, pulling it from her bag. "It's Mac."

Logan nodded at her, and watched as she got up and moved to the corner of the room, away from him, as though it would mean he couldn't hear her.

"Hey Mac." Veronica answered.

"Veronica." Mac was breathless.

"What's up?"

"Veronica, I'm not losing it, that guy is following me. I saw him again when I went to pick Ryan up from soccer."

"Wait, you saw him again, are you sure?" she asked.

"Yeah, I saw him at the park, and when Ryan and I were going back towards the car, he was sitting in the passenger seat." Mac said. "Ryan went running after the guy, but I called Dick, we couldn't get back in that car."

"Mac, please, please tell me you know what this guy looked like." Veronica could feel the worry build up in her. "Did you call the sheriff?"

"Yeah, we're still at the park, Deputy Sack's is on his way, and Dick too. Veronica, someone was in my car!" Her voice almost broke, and this was the first time that Veronica had ever heard this type of fear in her voice.

"What's going on?" Logan asked from his head. He was able to read her face better than anything in the world, and he could tell something had happened the moment her eyes changed.

Veronica held a hand up to him. "Has anything else happened?" she asked. Nish's words were suddenly coming back to her, someone had tried to get into her car, had opened her mail, had been following her.

"No, just that time I thought someone was following me when we meet for coffee." Mac told her. "Should I be more freaked out, or less?"

"I don't know yet. But stay there. I'm at the hospital, I'll be there soon." She ended the phone call and looked at Logan. "Someone broke into Mac's car, and Ryan chased after him."

"Isn't he like ten?" Logan asked. "He could have been hurt."

"I think he's almost twelve now, and you know how twelve year old boys think, they are invincible." Veronica knew this could be a walk down memory lane with Logan, they had so many past memories together, but Mac was waiting, and something bigger was happening here.

"I wish I could go with you." Logan said looking at the IV in his arm. He was restless of being stuck in a bed.

"It's a break in, Dick is on his way, and so is Sack's. Nothing dangerous." Veronica knew that it was hard for him to let her go, and even harder letting her off after everything. "I'll be back with some news of the outside world." She smiled at him.

Logan used his uncast hand to reach out for her hand before she was out of reach. "Wait." He said pulling her over to the side of the bed. "What else is going on?" he wondered what details she was keeping from him.

"I don't know yet, I haven't really talked to Mac." Veronica told him, brushing the hair out of his face.

"You use to be a better liar." Logan smiled.

"I am an amazing liar." Veronica laughed. "I will be back later." She told him before leaving the hospital room. The smile she left him with was so tender and loving.

The parking lot of the public park was rather empty when Veronica arrived. She could pick out the handful of cars that were there, Dick's beloved car, Mac's mother's, Mac's green beetle, and the police car.

"You made it." Mac said as Veronica got out of her car. "Sack's searched the car, but didn't find anything. He doesn't even know how they got in."

"Did you see the guys face?" Veronica asked, as she followed Mac over to her car.

"No, he was wearing a hoodie, and it all happened so fast."

"Dude, this is like serious shit that's going down." Dick said, his arms crossed in front of him.

"Language." Mac shot him a look before glancing over at her mother who was speaking with one of the officers.

"What?" Dick said confused.

"Don't curse with my mom fifteen feet away." Mac whispered harshly. She turned her attention back to Veronica who was standing next to Sack's.

"There is no sign of forced entry, but the other door is locked." Sack's told her.

"So you think they used a slim jim?" Veronica asked, going to look at the window. It would be hard to tell if someone had gotten in that way, it wouldn't have left much damage.

"There are no scratches on the window, or the paint. It's weird." Sack shrugged. "Almost like they had a key."

"I only have one spare, and my dad has it." Mac said shaking her head.

"It could have been a slim jim, they could have been pros. Weevil's boys use to pick up cars all the time, and no one could ever tell because they were so good at it." Veronica sighed. "I'll talk to him, see if it was a PCHer, he can still get in touch with them."

"You really think that's all it was?" Mac asked.

Veronica thought for a moment, if it was just a PCHer, they wouldn't have ran like that, they wouldn't have been in the passenger seat, they would have been in the front seat, the car wouldn't still be there. She couldn't lie to Mac, so she had to shake her head. "No, but right now it's a place to start."

"This guy has been following Mackie, he knows obviously knows what she drives, and followed her here." Dick said. "You can't go anywhere alone." He told her.

"Really?" Veronica asked. "You want to go down that road?" she wanted to laugh. She could see the look of annoyance on her friends face. Being told what to do wasn't a strong suit for either girl. "Mac will be just fine."

"You don't know that. She's not you, and look at all the shit you've gone through because you wouldn't listen to Logan." Dick threw out at her. "If you would have just listened to him about the whole rape thing, things would have been different." The moment the words left his mouth, he wished he could take them back. He knew that things with him and Veronica were changing, their relationship was evolving. But with 18 simple words, he put them back to where they had been in high school.

"If I had listened to Logan, we might not have found them. Someone else might have been hurt, some other innocent girl would have had to go through that." Veronica's whole body was tight with anger.

"Dick, I think you should go." Mac said turning to look at the boy. "Go visit Logan, go anywhere but here." She knew the impact of his words, and the reaction Veronica would have to them.

"Fine." Dick threw his arms up, rolled his eyes, and left.

"That's who you've been making out with." Veronica said pointing after the blond.

"Let's stay on topic here." Mac shook her head and pointed at the car. "If you really don't think it was PCHers, who do you think it was?"

"I don't know." Veronica whispered, pulling Mac away from everyone else, into the park to the bench. "That day we were at the Java Hut for coffee, I was meeting with Nish."

"Wait, Nish?" Mac asked. "Lilith House, Nish?"

"Yeah, I might have withheld some information from you after you cracked the hard drive." She bite down on the side of her bottom lip. She had kept this from Mac for her own safety, plausible deniability. She cracked the code, and listened to the video, but that was it. She didn't know about the list Veronica had made, she didn't know anything.

"Please don't tell me you gave a copy of it to Nish."

"No!" Veronica said quickly. "Just a list of names, all Castle members." Veronica sighed. So much for protecting her.

"And now you think this has something to do with that?" Mac asked.

"Nish said she felt like someone was following her, and then one day, she saw someone trying to break into her car. She scared them off before they had the chance." Veronica explained. "It's all too similar to not be connected to each other."

"The price I pay for being friends with wonder detective." Mac shook her head with a laugh. "So Bond, how do we find this guy?"

"I don't know." Veronica sighed. "I bugged Nish's place like a mad woman, even set up cameras and got nothing."

"If you really think it's Castle related, why don't we just go straight to the source?" Mac asked. To her it seemed simple enough. To get the answers they wanted, they needed to go to the one person that was sure to have them. But Mac hadn't talked much to Veronica about her last encounter there. She knew that she had gone to see Jake Kane after Logan has turned up at the hospital. Mac wasn't sure how Veronica knew, but she couldn't doubt her friend.

"I suppose this is why you're the Q to my Bond?" Veronica sighed.


	22. Chapter 22

**AN: I have returned, and added more stress and projects to my life. But I am happy to announce that the end of the story is in sight. I got a lot of writing done over break, and I am working on wrapping up the story, so updates should be more frequent.**

"You live in a hotel?" Amy, the home nurse asked, as she followed Veronica and Logan into the elevator. "Like you actually live here? How is the possible?"

Logan had spent just over two weeks in the hospital, two extremely long and stressful weeks. Even though he had needed it at the time, he could feel the stress melt away the moment he left the building. After all the times he had gone to the hospital as a boy, stitches, broken bones, concussions, all at the hands of his father, he was truly glad to be released from the place he learned to hate.

"Is that a problem?" Logan turned his head to look up at the woman. She was older, he couldn't be sure, maybe in her 40s. He had decided if he liked her or not. Veronica had hired her, and refused to listen when Logan said he didn't need a home nurse. He hadn't been expecting how hard it would be to get around in a wheel chair. His doctors said he couldn't use crutches until his head was fully healed, and that would take another four weeks or so.

"Of course not." Amy answered back. "I think the hospital would have released you a little sooner if they realized you didn't actually need to do anything because you have a hotel staff to do it all for you."

"Hey, I do plenty." Logan protested.

"By plenty, he means he plays a lot of video games, and drinks." Veronica roller her eyes.

"Ronnie here is just jealous because she can't beat my times on Mario Kart." Logan teased.

"No, Ronnie here is just jealous because you have an endless supply of hot water when you shower." She laughed.

"And here I thought you used to shower with me for my body."

"You two are cute, how long have you been together?" Amy asked.

Been together? Veronica thought, we aren't together, are we acting like we're together?

Veronica looked down at him, while he smiled up at her. Over the last three weeks, there hadn't been a lot of talking taking place. There were a lot of touches, hand holding, and longing looks, but not real words that defined what was happening between them, what always happened with them.

"Since we were twelve. But there was a year in high school were we couldn't stand each other. I like to view it as our foreplay to romance though." Logan answered, unsure of what Veronica's reaction to his words would be.

"It's true, he's liked me since he saw me in my soccer uniform." Veronica smiled shyly down at Logan. "He's got a thing for knee-high socks."

"It certainly is a long time!" Amy exclaimed. "No wonder you look at each other like that. I don't even look at my husband that way."

"Not every story is as epic as ours." Logan smirked.

His comment made Veronica freeze. They never talked about Alterna Prom, or his speech. It was one of the many things that went unspoken between them. She knew he was drunk, he didn't remember the next day, why would be remember now?

She didn't have time to back a comment, because the doors opened, and she pushed him, only stopping to look for the key card in the bottom of her bag. "I guess I can give this to you." She held the plastic card up and extended it towards Amy.

"Don't be silly, I wouldn't want to take your card, I'm sure you'll be here just as much as I am." Amy laughed, pushing her hand back.

"Yeah Ronnie, don't be silly." Logan flashed her a smirk, before motioning with his hand to be pushed forward.

"Why isn't Dick here?" Veronica mumbled under her breath.

"Why don't we get him settled in his bed, and you can show me around." Amy said as they brought everything and Logan inside the room.

"Bed?" Logan questioned.

"Yes, bed. You were nearly beaten to death, you've got more broken bones than we can found, and stitches in your head. You're going to bed, and you're staying there until I say." Amy announced.

Logan couldn't find the words to argue back, and he knew it was causing Veronica to smirk with her arms crossed looking down at him. His pain was still high, but he wasn't about to admit that. It wasn't anything he couldn't handle.

It didn't take the two woman long to get him settled in his room, and call down to the front desk and ask about getting him a TV set up in his room. He needed something to help pass the time.

"How long has he lived in a hotel?" Amy asked when her and Veronica were finally out of hearing range.

"His house burned down…" she trailed off trying to think about how long it had been. Before Logan, Duncan had lived here, but when he had moved in. "Sometimes during our senior year. So I guess it's been over a year."

"He's lived here, for that long?"

"Yeah, he didn't really have anywhere else to go, I mean his whole house burned, he was 17, and this is where he came." Veronica looked around the room. She could vaguely remember a room a few floors below, the first one Logan had stayed in before moving in with Duncan. "He hasn't had a reason to move out yet, plus he wouldn't know the first thing about buying an actual house."

"He's never heard of renting?" she asked.

"This is Logan Echolls." Veronica laughed. She couldn't imagine Logan living in an apartment. She tried to mentally picture him living in something like her apartment, and all she could come up with were snide remarks about the size and quality.

"And his sister?" Amy asked.

"Trina?" Veronica sighed, glancing back towards Logan's door. "Apparently the only time they get along is when one of them is unconscious. She was here for awhile, but Logan and her had a big blow out. It's typical." Veronica could still remember coming into the aftermath of the latest Trina vs. Logan fight. Dick had to fill in the details of what had happened, and the nurse had to call an orderly to escort Trina out of the room. Logan refused to see her again after that, and after three attempts, Veronica promised to let her know how he was, and she flew back to whatever it was she was doing now.

Trina had wanted to do an interview, one with Logan, and talk about the struggles they had been through as brother and sister. She had wanted to use Logan's wounds to shine the spotlight on herself, something that Logan wouldn't stand for even in perfect condition.

"It's probably best that you don't mention his sister, or his father, or mother. In fact I would just stay clear of asking personal questions all together." Veronica told her.

"Noted." Amy nodded her head.

"I picked up his pain killers and everything else yesterday, and they are right here." Veronica said showing her the tray by the bar, filled with little bottles. "Make sure he doesn't take them with alcohol. And he has to eat before he takes them. "

"Veronica, I am a nurse," Amy assured her. She could tell the young blond was nervous, as she moved around the living room area quickly, picking things up and showing them, explaining how they worked and what they did.

"Right, I know." Veronica sighed, as they made their way back towards Logan's bedroom door.

"Is she trying to tell you how to do your job?" Logan asked when the two females repapered in his room. "She's very controlling like that."

"Don't listen to a word he says, he's a total jackass." Veronica rolled her eyes.

"I prefer the term psychotic jackass, thank you." Logan smirked.

"Those are two terms I would use to describe you." Veronica smiled gently, remembering when she thought the same of him so many years before, when he was making her life hell. "Like I've said, don't listen. He doesn't know what he's talking about."

"She wounds me with her words." Logan pretends to grab at her heart, looking sad and hurt.

"You're a handful, and I want her to know what she's gotten herself into." Veronica rolled her eyes.

"I'm the handful? I always do as I'm told, it's you that's the handful." Logan tell hers before looking at Amy. "You've got to watch out for this one and her head tilts. I swear she's going to run the world one day and no one will be able to tell you how it happened."

"You're in luck, I have no plans of running the world." Veronica beams. "Plus I'm too busy saving you."

"Do you see what I mean, she's always picking on me." Logan shook his head.

"How do I go from running the world, with cute head tilts to picking on you? Huh?" Veronica asked, giving a quick jerk in his direction.

"To two of you would make my head hurt if I had to listen to this all day." Amy finally stopped them.

"Then I guess you can consider this your lucky day. I've got a date with Mac."

"A date?" Amy asked quickly. She was sure she didn't understand these two.

"A hot girl date, and I'm going to miss it? Life is so unfair to me." Logan sighed. "Give her my greetings, and send Dick back, I'll need someone to play video games with."

"You don't think I can play?" Amy challenged.

"No?" Logan offered.

"I've got four boys at home, if Veronica can't school you, I'm sure I can."

"Oh I'm so sad I'm going to miss this." Veronica laughed. She could already tell that she liked Amy.

"Then don't go?" Logan offered, hoping she wouldn't see the need in his eyes. He truly didn't want her to leave.

"Sadly, I am a very popular person, and I have many things to tend to, outside of you."

"There you go again, breaking my heart." Logan shook his head. "Just go, the sooner you leave me, the sooner you return."

"Oh so now you think I'm coming back?" Veronica laughed.

"Oh I know you are." Logan gave her a flirtatious smile before winking.

Veronica couldn't help but laugh at him. "If you need anything, call me." She told Amy before leaving Logan in her hands.

It wasn't easy to leave him there, even with Amy. She was worried, and she figured that she would always be worried about him now. She had almost lost him, and for awhile she truly thought that she had. Those feelings were still fresh in her memory, and they weren't something she wanted to feel again anytime soon.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Veronica shouted into the empty hotel parking lot. The passenger door of her car was wide open, papers scattered all over the car, and the empty parking spot next to hers. Instantly she grabbed her teaser in her bag, and held it tightly. She looked around the empty parking lot, picking out the security cameras first thing.

It wasn't her first time in the Neptune Grand parking garage, nor was this the first time her car had been broken into. But in light of recent events, this time was different.

She knew whoever it was, was long gone by now. Her car had been parked there for hours.

"Balboa County Sheriff's office, this is Inga. How may I help you?" her accent was thick through the phone, and Veronica wondered how someone that didn't know her, could understand her.

"Inga, it's Veronica." She could have called 911, it's what she would have told anyone else to do. But she wasn't just anyone.

"Oh Veronica, how are you?"

"I've been better." Veronica sighed, picking up some of the papers. "Is Sack's in, or Leo?"

"They are both here, is everything okay?"

"If something was wrong I would call my father first." Veronica laughed. It was true, if the guy had still be there, or if she had that gut feeling, she would have called her dad first.

"Veronica, it's Leo, what's up?" his voice was sweet like always, and she had to smile when she heard him.

"Would you and Sack's mind coming to the Neptune Grand, someone broke into my car. The passenger side door. I don't think anything is missing, but this isn't the first break in like this either."

"Yeah, we'll be right over, just go back inside. I'll call you when we get there." Leo told her. "Oh and Veronica?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for calling me first." He laughed.

Veronica rolled her eyes and ended the phone call. She couldn't just head back into the hotel, she knew that Dick was due back soon from his visit with his dad, and she didn't want to alert Logan. So that meant she had to wait, something that she wasn't very good at doing.

"Hey kiddo." Her dad sounded chipper, and she wondered when the last time was that she had actually talked to him.

"Hi dad." Veronica smiled.

"How's Logan, did you guys get back to the Grand alright? He likes the nurse, didn't scare her off?"

"Yeah, he got discharged this morning, around ten, and we got him at settled back in here." Veronica explained. "He seems to like Amy, she doesn't scare easily, which was why I thought she would be perfect. Someone broke into my car. Amy's more motherly, and I don't think she'll be blinded by his charm, which is a plus for her, it might drive Logan a little crazy though. I like her." Veronica rambled. It was her plan, it was always her plan when trying to tell her father something she would rather not. She didn't want him to freak out, turn this into something bigger than it really was.

"Logan needs someone that will actually look after him, and I'm glad that you like her, since you did hire her. But why don't you tell me more about your car." Keith was smart, Veronica was his daughter, there wasn't much she could slip past him.

"There isn't much to tell. I already called Leo, he and Sack's are on their way. There was no damage done, just some papers scatter around. It's just like Mac's."

"You think all three are connected?"

"This is Neptune dad, of course they are."

"I don't want you to touch the car, leave it there. I'll head down, look around. Have you gone in to ask about the tapes?"

"No, I'm waiting for Leo and Sacks." Veronica explained. "I don't want to pass Dick on the way in, he can't keep a secret to save his life, and the last thing I need is to worry Logan."

"Such a thoughtful daughter I have." Keith laughed. "I'll be there shortly, and look at the tapes."

"Okay, I'm going to call Mac, I've got a few leads of my own I want to look into." She sighed. She didn't want to look into them, because she wanted to believe that none of this was connected. But there was no doubting it now. The three girls that knew, were all hit.

By the time she had gotten off the phone with Mac, she could see the deputy's car entering the parking garage.

"I remember asking you to wait inside." Leo told her getting out of the car.

"Really? Hmm I must have missed that part." Veronica smiled at him, turning towards her car. "This is how I found it, my dad should be here soon."

"I'm surprised you even called." Leo said going to look at the car door, the papers, and everything else.

"This is just like you friends." Sacks sighed, looking at the young blond. "Are you going to tell us what's going on, or leave us in the dark?"

"Now Sacks, what type of girl would I be if I went spilling all my secrets?"

"I don't know, a smart one?" he asked, shaking his head. "When's the sheriff going to be here?"

"Vinnie better not even know." Veronica looked up at him quickly.

"I meant your dad." He said quickly, he was a little scared for the girl.

"Oh, any minute. He suggested looking at the surveillance video." She knew that both officers would have already thought of it, but she knew by saying it, that they would allow her father to take the lead until something else came up.

"Are you sure nothing is missing?" Leo asked, closing the car door.

"I don't keep important things in my car, so even if they took a pack of gum, I think I'm good."

"We can file the report, and look at the tapes, but you know there isn't anything else we can really do. Unless you want to tell us who you've made enemies with."

"Only every powerful man in the country." Veronica wasn't joking when she said it, but both men thought she was. "I'll find out who, I just wanted it on the record, so when I do find them, it'll make your job easier."

"Veronica Mars, always looking out for the boys in uniform." Leo smiled at her.

"Just the ones I like." She winked

"Why don't we go inside and wait for your dad, or look at the tapes ourselves?" Sacks suggested.

"No need." Keith announced, his approaching footsteps had been unheard by all three. "I've got the tapes, and the guy that broke in. Can't see his face, but it's a start." He handed the tape over to Leo. "You two can look at it, see if you recognize the kid."

"It's a kid?" Veronica asked.

"You're all kids to me." Keith smiled at his daughter. "I'll follow you home."

"No, it's okay. I've got to meet Mac."

"Veronica." Both Keith and Leo knew where that was headed.

"Now boys, it's just girl talk." Veronica smiled sweetly at them each. "But I would feel much more comfortable if someone could follow me there."

"Sure thing." Leo smiled at her. "It's my job to serve and protect."

"Call me when you're headed home." Keith told his daughter.

"Thanks guys." She told them before going towards her car. Veronica Mars wasn't someone to be messed with, and it was time she put a stop to whoever was trying.


	23. Chapter 23

**AN: I read somewhere that in an interview Rob Thomas said that Neptune was between LA and San Diego somewhere like San Juan Capistrano. So that is the location that I am using. And Amy wasn't going to be a real fixture in the story, but so many of you showed an interest, I wrote this just for you. So it is short, because there was no real through behind it.  
**

"Go dude!" Dick ordered to Logan. "Hurry up!"

"I can't press the button any harder." Logan grumbled.

"Maybe you'd do better if you didn't press so hard?" Amy offered.

"Fuck! We got beat by an old lady, seriously brings me down." Dick shouted and threw the controller at the screen.

"Language." Amy simply sighed and stood up with a winning smile. "And remember boys, it is just a game, win or lose you're still special. But that does it for your screen time." She turned to look at Logan.

"Losing to a girl is one thing, but you're like old enough to be our moms, we can't lose to you, its just sad."

"Afraid of losing in a rematch?" Logan questioned.

Amy paused for a minute, her face scrunching up in thought. "I beat you five out of seven games." She shook her head. "And staring at the screen isn't good for your eyes, or those stitches in the back of your head."

"Man, don't you get those things out soon?" Dick asked, his head falling back on Logan's bed from his position on the floor. "It's been, for like ever."

"Two weeks is not forever, dude." Amy answered, turning off the console, making the screen go blue before turning it off as well.

"Two weeks is like a year in Dick time." Logan laughed, readjusting the pillow behind his head with his good hand. "Dick, call down and ask Tina to send up more pillows, and order me a buffalo burger, will ya?" He wasn't really hungry, just tired, but it would keep Dick busy. He had been fussing over him since he turned up after Veronica had left, and it was annoying.

"Man, just cause your bones are broken, you think I'm your servant or something." Dick rolled his eyes getting up from the floor.

"He seemed like a good friend." Amy said messing with the pill bottles, and checking the time on her watch. "Would you like one now, or after you eat?"

"Works faster on an empty stomach." Logan sighs taking the pill from her, and then the glass of water.

"How long has Dick lived with you?" Amy asked.

"Almost a year I guess. His dad took off in high school, avoiding federal prison and what not." Logan told her.

"So you lived alone for awhile then."

"No, I lived with another friend before that. But he fled the country with his child to avoid sharing custody with the grandparents."

"Sounds like a lot of running away from problems."

"That's common in Neptune, they teach us how to run, far and fast." Logan smiles weakly. "Most people know these things, it's common knowledge. Casablancas, Kane?" He was the son of Aaron Echolls, when Duncan had gone awol, it was in the news, Logan was questioned and nothing was kept hush hush.

"I don't live in Neptune, or anywhere around here actually. Sorry to disappoint, but your teenage antics don't matter much to us working folk outside of Balboa county."

"You're not from here?" Logan asked. He had assumed that she was a nurse from the hospital. He didn't question Veronica or her skill at finding someone to take care of him.

"I am not. I was born in Washington state, and moved to Yucca Valley with my husband when I was 26."

"Yucca?" Logan asked, he was sure he had heard it before, but couldn't picture on a map where it was.

"It's north east of here." Amy smiled. "That's why Veronica hired me you know." She could tell he didn't understand what she meant by that comment. "I wasn't from here, I am not hip to the gossip as they say."

"No one says hip to gossip." Logan laughed softly.

"Pish." She waved her hand as though it didn't matter. "She wanted someone that wasn't from here, and I've got a friend that works at the hospital."

"Yucca, Yucca Valley." Logan said softly to himself, still thinking. "Isn't that two hours away?" he finally asks.

"Give or take, traffic." Amy nodded. "I'm staying here though for the next few weeks, like I said, I've got a friend."

"Leaving then husband home to take care of the children then?" Logan smiles.

"My oldest is actually going to San Diego State. Moved down there the minute he graduated. His brother followed and went up to UCLA." Amy smiled. "My youngest two are twins, and are more than capable of driving their dad insane while I'm gone."

"Two kids you college, you truly don't look enough." Logan smiled, trying to lay on the charm, and not understanding why she isn't melting like most woman normally do.

"I suppose. I said Robert when I was 23, and Jeremy not long after we moved down here. You could say that was young for back then, but it was the 80s, stranger things did happen." Amy replied simply with a shrug of his shoulders.

Once Logan stopped trying to impress her with charm and wit, it was actually easy for him to talk to the nurse Veronica had hired. She was an all around kind woman, how had learned from her past. Logan could tell that she didn't go out of her way to hurt people, and often went above and beyond what she needed to. She had a true motherly sense about her, and Logan didn't bother to questions it, as she readjusted pillows and made sure the sheet wasn't tucked around him so tightly his feet where uncomfortable. She did thinks that Logan had see other mothers do, things he never thought he was see done for him. It was nice, relaxing even.


	24. Chapter 24

"I'll ask him." Mac huffed, her arms across her chest, eyes set on the tiny blond. Veronica had come over the day before and they had talked about her theories, explored them a little more, and decided that there was only one thing to do, the thing Mac had suggested after her car, go to the source.

"No offense Mac, but you're not the type for confrontation." Veronica laughed at her friend. She could almost picture Mac going up to Jake Kane and asking him why he is sending people to stalk them. She could see Mac standing in front of him, trying to look angry, but only appearing to look scared and towered over. Her angry features quickly turning into those of a child. Mac wouldn't stand a chance against him, or anyone for that matter. That is why she was her Q, and not Bond. "I've dealt with Jake plenty this past month, I've got this covered. Plus we've got to talk to the monkey first."

"I could do it!" Mac knew the doubt Veronica had in her, it was the same doubt she had in herself. But this time things were personal. "Ryan could have been hurt, and as much as the little shit annoys me, he's my brother and I'm the only one that gets to hurt him."

"The guy was running from Ryan, I don't think there was any threat to anyone." She sighed. "I don't really know what to think yet, but I am going to find out."

"Veronica, maybe it's time to just hand everything over to the police. I know you don't like Vinnie, but your dad, someone." Mac told her. "This whole thing is way bigger than I think any of us realized."

"I'm not handing over something, when I don't even know what it is." Veronica told her. "You guys are leaving at the end of the week for you camping trip. At least give me until then."

"How are you even going to know if he's telling you the truth?" Mac wondered. The two friends stood looking up at the Kane Software building. Mac couldn't imagine how intimidating Jake Kane would be in person if the company that we built was this big. She took a large gulp of air before following Veronica inside.

From visiting Wallace's mom in the past, Veronica knew her way around enough to bypass the red head at the front desk.

"Excuse me." She called after them as they hurried themselves into an elevator. The floor she wanted had restricted access, but the one she needed was easy to get to. For this being the lead in software, it sure was easy to walk right in.

Or so it seemed as the two girls smiled at each other as they rode the elevator. But once the doors open, they were greeted by the dark dressed Clarence Weidman.

"This is becoming a habit of yours." He stood, blocking their way.

"One that I'd like to break." Veronica shot back. "I need to speak to Mr. Kane."

"Bringing friends along now?" he glanced over at Mac. "Be warned, this one is trouble."

"No more than you." Mac told him. She had never seen him in person before, but she had heard Veronica's past stories, mainly ones where her mother had been involved, and how he had shown up at the bar in the middle of nowhere. Mac didn't like the vibe the guy gave off.

"I'm assuming this isn't a social call."

"Am I known for social calls?"

The elevator doors dinged, demanding to be closed.

"Step into my office?" Veronica asked the man, taking a step back to give him room. This wasn't the bathroom in Neptune High, or her father's office, but it would work, and Weidman was a good place to start. If she couldn't get Kane, she's talk to his goon instead.

"Care to explain why you're here?"

"Care to explain why people are breaking into our cars and following us?" Mac shot at him, shocking herself and Veronica.

"Excuse me?" he raised an eyebrow at the girl, his voice never changing.

"The three people outside of The Castle, that actually know about it, are now being stalked. Of course that would lead me right to here." Veronica told him. "However I did intend to talk about this with Mr. Kane, not you, and not in the elevator So if you could just point us in the right direction, that'd be all."

"I was hired by Mr. Kane to deal with little pests like you. He is far too busy to deal with whatever problems you've gotten yourself into this time." Clarence stated.

"How is stalking us not his problem?"

"I don't know what you're referring to."

"We didn't come here to beat around the bush." Veronica sighed, placing a hand on her hip. It was time to get serious, and down to business, she wasn't going to take the run around, not from him. "We'd much rather just know what it is you guys want, so you can leave us alone. Spare us all the trouble of doing this the hard way."

"Do I appear to be the type of person that beats around a bush?" he asked, stone cold like always.

"No." Veronica said after much thought. He was always to the point. She could still see him pushing a college kid almost out of a window just to get the information he needed. He didn't waste time, and if they did truly have something he or Jake wanted, they would have just taken it and not hassled to stalk them or break into their cars. But that didn't leave them with much to go off. Her father was already trying to figure out who the kid in the tape was, but they weren't having any luck.

"Then I will tell you again, I do not know what you're referring to, but if you're done wasting my time, you can see yourselves back out." He told the girls as the doors opened again, on the main level this time.

"Do you think I'm that easy to get rid of?" Veronica asked, not moving. "I would love to cut our visit short, but I'd love even more to know what is going on. The only thing that the three of us have in common is that little secret society your boss belongs to." Just because she didn't think that Kane and Weidman had anything to do with it, didn't mean they didn't know who did. Veronica figured out a long time ago that Weidman made it his business to know what was going on.

"Ms. Mars, I work for Kane software, this does not have to do with the security of Kane Software. Therefore, I will tell you, I do not know what you're talking about."

"Right, and when you cooled Lilly's bloody body down, that was for Kane Software, and when you took picture of me in the middle of a bulls eye, or paying off Abel Kutz's daughter, that was all for security of a software company." Veronica shot at him. She wasn't playing around, and those words made it clear. She could see Mac flinch at the things she had just reveled. "Don't for one second think that I don't know what he said, I listened to it, I know what happened."

He motioned to the small stiff looking couch, closing the door behind them. "Mars, Mackenzie."

"How do you know my name?" Mac asked, looking at him questioningly, not moving. She hadn't been friends with the Kane kids, she never fell on the radar of an 09er.

"It's my job to know."

"I'd be more worried if he didn't know your name." Veronica whispered, sitting down, and pulling Mac with her. "We're here for answers, and we both know on persistent I can be. So make it easy on all of us, and just tell me."

"You broke into the Kane estate, isn't it only fair someone break into your…well your car?"

"Jake and I made peace with that. I returned what I took." Veronica shot at him. She was sure they had put that behind them, she made sure that Jake knew she knew what was on the hard drive, and that she didn't have any actually intentions of spilling those secrets.

"Yes, only after making a list of names, and then giving them to one Nish Sweeney." There was never any emotion in his voice, no facial expression. "You've made a lot of powerful people very unhappy."

"And somehow I find it hard to care." Veronica rolled her eyes. "I get breaking into my car then, and Nish's, but why Mac? She's got nothing to do with this."

"Ms Mars I've already told you, I don't know what you're talking about. I don't break into cars. You've got more enemies than just me now."

"But I'd bet every penny I have that you know who is." Veronica sighed, this conversation was frustrating, like all conversations with him. If she wanted to talk in circles she would have gone to the Grand to see Logan.

"I trust that none of what I say will be discussed outside this office?" he asked, sitting back on his desk.

"Now we're getting somewhere."

"We first got wind of this issue from a lawyer, and I'm sure you know what happens to a still pond when you toss a pebble in it."

"The ripple effect." Veronica sighed. "So everyone knows."

"From what I've gathered, yes. Everyone alive, on that list you so carelessly handed over, knows."

"This is serious, like more serious than finding a monkey, or a stolen test." Mac whispered, fear starting to set in. She wasn't Veronica, this wasn't part of her daily life.

"Is there any way to undo the damage?" Veronica asked. She knew that it might be like the ripple effect, but it wouldn't get go away, and turn still again. From where she sat, she knew that there was no answer to Mac's question. She couldn't undo what she had done. She had put that list out there, all they could do was hope that nothing more came from it.

"There is nothing at the moment that is going to make them back off. You've pisses off some very powerful people, and that's never a wise thing to do. But Ms Mackenzie, I can suggest finding better company." He glared over at Veronica. If only the little blonde knew how much trouble he was going through to keep her safe.

"Care to tell us who?" Veronica smiled. She might not be able to do anything, but she would find a way to make them ease off Mac and Nish.

"You have the list Ms Mars, what more do you want?" Clarence asked. "Now, I've got a meeting, I'm sure you can both see your way out." He held the door open for them.

"As always Weildman, it certainly has been a pleasure." Veronica rolled her eyes following Mac out of the office.

"Veronica, this is serious, what are we going to do?" Mac whispered to her friend as they walked down the quite office halls.

"I'm going to do what I go best." Veronica smiled.

"Revenge, blackmail, scheming?"

"Nice to know you think so lowly of me." Veronica looked at her with a little shock. She had never heard her friend talk about her in that way.

"It's what you do, and it doesn't normally end well, case in point." Mac motioned around them. "Why can't we just get the list back from Nish, turn it over to them, and put it all behind us?"

"Because Mac, that's not the way powerful men work." Veronica sighed when the elevator doors dinged shut. She truly had opened a can of worms, and she couldn't picture any good possible outcomes. The only thing a can of worms is good for is fishing.


	25. Chapter 25

_Woman!_

_I am serious if I was there I would give you the cold shoulder. How many does a brother have to tell you? I don't want to hear about who Mac has the hots for, or any of that shit. Does Weevil let you talk to him like this? No, I know for a fact he doesn't. So why do you think you can do it with me? Huh? Yeah, no good enough reason is coming into the little head of yours, is it? Keep yourself in check, or I'll stop e-mailing you._

_I'm in Kampala, it's the capital of Uganda. We came in to gather supply, and some other things. The new crop of volunteers are rolling in too, I remember when that was me. The village that we've been staying in is amazing, and not in the "Awe dude this is so cool" amazing, but in the "Wow, people can actually live like this" amazing. Running water is something they've never heard of. The whole village comes together to protect their children. Everyone is scared, you can see it in their faces, the way they don't like to sleep at night. We have helped to build more secure buildings, but we both know if someone wants it, nothing will stop them. I wish you could see some of the kids, superfly. They would blow you away. We think we have issues in Neptune, we've got nothing on these guys. Those things Apollo wrote about, his story seems like a fairytale compared to what I've heard. Some of this kids are brainwashed into killing their own families. I don't even think Echoll's could have killed his own pops. It's eye opening, and soul changing._

_So Mac and Dick? Do I even want to know how that happened?_

_However, I'm not surprised about your dad. I got an e-mail from my mom. Did you know they've been talking again? I guess he's gone to her for advice on what to do and say to you about this whole Logan thing. Don't know why either of them think it would matter. You're going to do what you want no matter what we say, or how many times we warn you about that kid. I gave up last time, really, I mean it's just sad._

_I don't have a lot of time. We're only here for the night, something about us needing normal beds to sleep in, and showers. I'm not complaining though. I'll be back in Neptune before the 1st. I don't remember which day I fly back, I've got an 18 hour layover in New York, that's all I know. Ask my mom, she can tell you._

_I miss you V, and I worry about you even when I'm not there. Just try to keep your head low and stay out of trouble this summer. There is enough going on already._

_Your Papa Bear  
Wallace_

_You care, you really care! Awe shucks kids, you make me smile even when you're on the other side of the world. I won't lie and say I don't worry about you. I've read Apollo's books, and I've read up on what you're doing. It makes me worry about your safety, and the safety or all those people you're helping. I know that compared to them, my problems seem superficial. I can't imagine being there, seeing the things you're seeing. Just don't change to much, I want to be able to recognize you when you come back._

_Things are getting a little hairy here. Which I suppose one could say is normal for Neptune. The summer air seems to make things grow. By the time you get back, I'll have an extra set or arms, and maybe even legs, depending on how things go. Someone's been breaking into cars. Nothing's been taken, but it's defiantly happening. And as normal, I'm on the case. Although it seems pointless to share this with you. Since you're off saving the actual world, and I'm just here in Neptune, battling aliens and rich powerful men that surely lie and cheat. Such is life though._

_And please, don't tell me you're not a girl. You love this gossip stuff more than I do. And that's why you're wondering when Mac and Dick got together, and if they are really together, or it that's just some ploy I've got going. So to put you out of your misery, they aren't together, not in the sense of the word though. Will this make you stay up at night? Tossing and turning, wondering whatever I could mean? I am evil like that, aren't I? *insert my evil laugh here*_

_Logan's out of the hospital. So things are looking up. Have you heard from Piz? Do I have the right to ask you that?_

_Be safe Wallace._

_Love V_

"Did you tell him I said hello?" Logan questioned, looking at Veronica from across his bedroom. She was sitting at a small table and had been lost in her own little world for a long time.

Veronica smiled when she turned to look at him, she didn't even know that he was awake. "Did you say hello?" she questioned. "I don't remember the two of you being chummy. Did the memo get lost somewhere? I'm always the last to know."

"We are the best of friends. I am planning a slumber party for when he gets back. He promised to paint my nails." Logan he informed her, as she came over to sit on the edge of his bed.

"Is he going to do your hair as well, or is Weevil going to be invited?"

"I never said I was friends with the help." Logan told her, watching a twitch of annoyance flash across her features.

"Maybe Dick then?" she asked. "Speaking of the blonde, where is he?"

"Spending some time with daddy dearest I believe, or helping Mac shop of a new car." Logan answered.

"Do not mention him and Mac together, please, I'm still trying to wrap my head around that." Veronica sighed. "I refuse to believe they are together, or that she is buying a new car."

"I'm just telling you what I heard through the wall." Logan smiled. "But I'm not his keeper, so I can't say for sure."

"You're not his keeper, than I wonder who is." She pretended to ponder the thought for a moment, looking towards the ceiling with her finger tapping his chin. "I'm truly stumped. All this time, I was sure it was you."

"Okay mister wise guy." Logan laughed shaking his head. "You ready to talk?"

"Me? Talk?" Veronica asked pointing at herself. "I was so sure that's what we were doing. Did they change the definition and forget to tell me? Man I hate it when that happens."

"I'm serious Ronnie." Logan sighed. This talk had been a long time coming. There was so much between them, they both needed to clear the air.

"Oh, you mean talk, talk." Veronica nodded and moved to sit crisscross on the bed. She studied his healing face, taking in the changing colors and healing cuts. It was hard to believe that just a few short weeks ago his face was one giant bruise.

"I figure it may be time to sort a few things out. Like the fact that you left your internship to come back here." Logan knew that was the best place to start. Everything else was past them, Madison, Piz, Gory, those things didn't matter anymore.

Veronica was silent for a moment, this wasn't what she had in mind when he started. In fact, this was a subject that she would be fine never talking about, with anyone. "I had to." She whispered and looked at him. "You would have done the same if it was me."

"I am the reckless one, I am the one that doesn't think my action though. You're the smart sensible one."

"Are you saying coming back was senseless?" Veronica questioned, raising and eyebrow, hoping it would mask the hurt his words caused.

"Always putting words in my mouth." Logan muttered. "And Jake?" he asked, moving on from that subject.

"How do you know about that?" she looked at him puzzled. She never mentioned to anyone that Jake Kane's goon had been the one to find Logan. "Did Dick tell you?" he was the one that had driven her to his house, the only one that could make the connection.

"He called me a few days ago, wanted to see how I was doing." Logan explained. "He said he was sorry he couldn't have stopped it, that he would have if he had known sooner. It was pretty easy to fill in the blanks."

Veronica could feel the tears sting her eyes as she thought back to that day so many weeks ago. "I didn't know what else to do. I had tried everything I could, and kept coming up empty handed. I knew going to him was a long shot, but it was my last shot. When I was thrown out of the house, I was so scared Logan." Her voice was so small, for once matching her tiny size.

Logan reached with his good arm and pulled her over to him, allowing her to lay next to him and cuddle into his side. He wanted to comfort her, he wanted to hold her, and take all that fear away.

"They had thought your body had washed ashore, and I had to go and identify it. The sheriff's office wasn't doing anything, and the FBI was getting involved. I wasn't sure how much longer I could hold on. My whole world seemed to stop when my dad called, when he told me."

"You did the right thing Ronnie, you always do the right thing." he whispered into her hair.

Logan allowed her to cry for awhile before speaking. "I had gone out to surf that morning. I couldn't take being stuck in here any longer, and I figured it'd been a few weeks, things should have cooled off by then, he should have been gone for the summer. I don't even remember making it out of my car." His voice was soft as he spoke, and filled with so many different emotions. "When I came to, I don't know how long it had been, but I was in this cement room. There weren't windows so I couldn't tell the time of day, and I was in so much pain. There was a blood stain on the floor, and I couldn't stand. I didn't know what had happened, or even who had done it. But it didn't take long. Gory kept hitting me until I blacked out."

"Logan." Veronica looked up at him, his eyes were far away, and she knew he wasn't in the room with him, but somewhere else, somewhere bad.

"This other guy, I don't know who he was, but he was the one with the knife. He said he liked the scars on my back." He instantly returned to the room, to the present time and looked down at Veronica, tears in his own eyes. He knew that he couldn't give her the details, he couldn't go over those things with her, because he knew sooner or later she would be able to figure it out on her own. His body had become a map of sorts, showing all the ways physical pain was inflicted on him. "The only thing that kept me alive, was knowing the longer they had me, the safer you were. Gory talked about how you were next, and when I was finally gone, they'd go after you."

She couldn't even think about it. Another sob tore through her body and she held herself as closely to him as she could. When she had finally stopped, her whole head felt like it was ready to explode. Her nose was stuffed, and she had a slight case of the hiccups. "Normal people don't have to deal with all this." She whispered into the silent room.

"We're not normal Veronica, we're epic." Logan held her to his side as tightly as he could, kissing the top of her head, trying to comfort her in way he could. He hated to put his nightmares in her head.

"Then have we had our fair share of bloodshed and ruined lives?" she hiccupped. "Because I don't know if I can go on anymore years, or spanning continents."

"Is that what I said?" he asked after thinking about it. She had referred to this speech a few times before, but would never tell him what it was he had said that night.

Veronica looked up at him, puffy faced and blood shot and smiled. "No one writes songs about the ones that come easy." She wanted to lean up and kiss him, she really did. She wanted to feel his lips pressed against his, and allow their tongues to dance. But she couldn't, not yet.

When the sadness of their conversation wore off, and Veronica's nose seemed to clear, it was time for another conversation, another set of emotions. Logan knew somewhere down deep, that if he didn't allow Veronica it get it all out, to yell at him now, it would only come up later, and the consequences would be greater. So he had no choice but to let her yell at him for a few moments. She had been so worried, and so scared, and she deserved to let it all out, she deserved to share it with him, because he had shared his nightmare with her.

"I told you he was connected, I didn't want you to touch him. None of this would have happened if you would have listened to me." She yelled repeatedly, always rephrasing her words, with so much anger until she fell back into the bed next to him in tears. Her anger didn't last long, not before the guilt of her words could eat her up. How could she say those things, how could she be mad at him? He had already been through so much, she had almost lost him. He had been punished enough. But she needed him to see. She needed him to understand that he couldn't keep reacting to life that like.

"I can't be around you, not if you're going to keep going down this road." Veronica whispers, not even sure if he's still awake. She had finally given up her anger hours ago, and just laid next to him.

"What do you mean?" he whispered back.

"If you're going to beat up every person that wrongs me, I just can't do it Logan. I can't put myself through this again. I was so scared that I would never see you, that I wouldn't be able to find you." Veronica told him. "I know it seems unfair to ask you to change, because I know it's part of who you are, but I think it's part of what Aaron made you." She knew that would get his attention, that would make him think. "You weren't like that, not when we were younger, not to this extent."

"Before this happened, before Gory, when I was stuck in here, I did a lot of thinking." Logan sighed, and rubbed her back slowly. "I thought that maybe I should try anger management classes, see if it helps. The way I reacted to Piz, the disappointment I saw in your face. I don't want to ever see that again."

"I suppose we should talk about Piz next." Veronica sighed after a moment. She was happy that Logan wanted to take classes, that he knew even before she needed to tell him.

"Just answer me one thing." Logan said, his voice suddenly turning more serious than Veronica had heard it in a long time. "Do you feel anywhere near the same for him as you do for me?"

Like that was an easy question for Veronica Mars to answer. She had always been so guarded for her emotions, and her feelings, down to every last smile. She didn't spout them off, she didn't talk about them. But now, they had reached a point where it had caused so many problems for them, and everyone they came in contact with.

What did she feel for Piz? That always seemed to be the question. But lying next to Logan, feeling his smooth fingers on her back, taking in his scent, it wasn't hard to know. "There is no comparison." She couldn't look up at him this time, because she knew if she did they would kiss. But she couldn't do it, she couldn't allow it. Not until things were settled with Piz. So the only thing she could offer him were simple words. "I love you Logan Echolls."

If that didn't make every part of Logan feel alive, then nothing ever would. He smiled, and pushed his head back into the pillow, tears sliding from the corner of his eyes while he replayed her words in his head. "I love you Veronica Mars." He whispered back.


	26. Chapter 26

**AN Sidebar: Anyone watch Bones? Its currently taking over my life and all my free time.**

"Well now, this is such a site. Those two are so sweet together." Nurse Amy gushed the following morning when she found the couple asleep, Logan still holding Veronica firmly to his side, and Veronica's arm over the top of Logan, just as unwilling to let him go.

"Sick, I always told him she was rich dude kryptonite." Dick said shaking his head when he walked past the open bedroom door. "At least you'll be here this time around to talk so sense into him, when she rips his heart out and shreds it with a butter knife."

"Rather descriptive, don't you think?" Amy asked.

"Dude, you haven't been through one of their break ups yet." Dick shook his head at the woman. "Trust me I phrased it nicely, cause even in her sleep, Ronnie can hear me."'

"Shut up Dick." Veronica and Logan both shouted at the same time, neither one of them appearing to move.

"See, told you." Dick pointed. "It's creepy."

"It's sweet." Amy rolled his eyes. "You two wake up, I'll order some breakfast." She told the couple before closing the bedroom door, and leaving them in peace.

The two could still hear Amy and Dick talking, even with the door closed.

Veronica rolled away from Logan, stretching out before looking over at him. "Hi."

"Good morning." Logan smiled at her. He liked seeing her first thing in the morning.

"How are you feeling?" she asked. She didn't remember waking up once to get him any pain killers, so she knew he must be hurting.

"Hard." Logan laughed and looked down his body. "Wanna take care of it for me?" he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at her.

"In your dreams." Veronica rolled her eyes at him.

"Actually, you were in my dreams." Logan smiled and let out of content sigh. "Only you were a lot more willing and a lot less clothed."

"I believe even in your dreams I would put up a fight." Veronica laughed and got out of the bed.

"I love starting off my mornings with a hot, snarky, blonde."

"Me too." Veronica smiled.

"I'm not blonde."

"Or hot." Veronica added.

"Oh you mean we can turn this into a threesome?" he asked.

"You can have a threesome anytime you please." Veronica looked around the room for her coat, locating a hair tie before disappearing into his bathroom.

"I wouldn't dream of having one without you." Logan shouted after her. "You, me, and Jessica Alba, that would be fun."

"She's not blonde." Veronica shouted back at him before turning on the water, drowning out whatever else he said. When she was done washing her face and brushing her teeth she came out and found Dick had helped him into his chair.

"It's a pretty sweet car too." Dick nodded. "But she doesn't think she needs one since nothing is really wrong with her other one, just the fact that someone broke into it."

"Normal people only have one car Dick." Veronica rolled her eyes. "And when did you even see Mac, I talked to her last night, and she was home with her parents."

"I texted her the car I think she should get, and really Ronnie? I bet your dad isn't going to let you drive around in yours anymore." Dick shot at her, not realizing the information he had shared.

"What?" Logan asked, looking up at Veronica. "Why wouldn't your car be safe?"

"The night you came home from the hospital, someone broke into her car in the hotel parking lot." Dick told him like it was old news. And in a way it was, it had been almost two weeks since it happened. But that didn't mean she had shared that with Logan yet.

"Someone broke into your car, and Dick is telling me?" Logan shouted up at her. "Why is Dick telling me?"

"Because I wasn't going to." Veronica said before hitting dick upside the head. "Thanks for that, really."

"Hey, how was I supposed to know it was top secret?" Dick asked.

"Fear me Dick, just fear me." Veronica told him before turning her attention back to Logan. "It was nothing, they slim jimmed their way in, nothing was taken.

"Somehow, with you involved, I find that hard to believe." Logan told her shaking his head.

"I know, but sometimes you've just got to trust me." Veronica sighed. "Look I've got some things I need to take care of today, some phone calls to make." She gave him a knowing look, one that would convey her meaning. "Since you are in the more than capable hands of Amy, I won't worry."

"Will you be by later?" he asked.

"If everything is settled, yeah, I'll stop by." She smiled at him. "You want anything special from outside the Grand?"

"Just you." He winked at her.

"Oh stop, you'll make me blush." She rolled her eyes at him before leaving the bedroom. She stopped in the living room to chat with Amy for a minute, and exchanging pleasantries.

Amy reminded Veronica that Logan was going to start physical therapy this week, depending on doctor's appointment the following day, to see how we was healing.

"Nurse Amy, I'm ready for my sponge bath." Logan laughed from his bedroom.

"Good, Dick lost at call of duty, so it's his turn." Amy beamed at the group, making Veronica laugh and both boys shake their heads in protest.

"He's in a mood today, enjoy." Veronica laughed before leaving the hotel all together.

Veronica knew what she needed to do today. She needed to deal with the Piz situation. But that was easier said than done. She had tried before, and he had beat her to the punch, telling them they would talk when he got back. But she didn't feel right, not when she knew, not when she had told Logan that she loved him.

The whole drive back to her apartment was taken over by the worrisome thoughts of what to say, how to make him understand. Piz was such a good guy, she didn't want to hurt him, but she was hurting him even more by not ending things.

When she arrived home she was quick to change her clothes into something more comfortable. She grabbed Back Up's leashed and headed for the beach with her dog. That would help clear her head, and figure out what to say.

With Back Up resting at her feet, tired from chasing the birds on the beach, she took out her phone and called.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Hey Piz, it's me."

"Veronica, hi." She could hear the nervousness in his voice already. " How's Neptune?"

"Piz-"

"No, I already told you, we'd talk when I get back."

"I love him Piz." Veronica blurted out quickly, knowing that he would try and shut her down again. "I'm sorry."

"Oh." Was all he could say.

"I'm sorry, I really and truly am." Veronica whispered, feelings the tears well in the bottom of her eyes. She looked up and down the beach, trying to keep them away. "I can't keep this up, I can't do this to you, or to him. It's not fair."

"Okay."

"I am sorry, I hope you know that." Veronica added before she heard his line shut off. With a sigh she looked down at her own phone and knew he better forewarn Wallace.

_Worry not young one, the deed has been done._

_I tried to talk to Piz, I tried to do it gently. But I don't think I have any gentle bones in my body?_

_I'm sorry. I wish you were here to help with this, I feel like a horrible person. Am I a horrible person?_

Her email was short, it needed to be short. She needed her best friend at that moment, because she felt so lost right now, and hurt. She had hurt Piz and she hadn't meant to. He had been nothing but kind and sweet to her. But she wanted to kiss Logan. She wanted not to feel guilt when he held her, and she liked it when he held her. There was one thing she knew, breaking up, no matter the reason was never easy. It had nearly destroyed her when Duncan had broken up with her, and she wouldn't lie, she was hurt when things ended with Tory, but maybe that was because of the way things ended. She had cried more times during her break ups with Logan than ever in her life, and even with Leo, it had been hard to tell him. The word break means to hurt, and that was what she was doing now, hurting.

But she couldn't wallow for too long, she had other things to do, to take care of. She needed to talk to Nish, and needed to find a way to stop which ever Castle member was bothering them.

Nish had readily agreed to meet with Veronica again, but this time at father's business. Veronica explained that someone else would be there, because there appeared to be a lot more going on than what she had originally told her.

It had only taken an hour or two for the three girls to arrive at Mars Investigation, each bringing something Veronica had requested. Nish has the list of names, and Mac had the coffee.

"We're all connected, because of this?" Nish asked looking at the list Veronica had given her months ago.

"Yeah, we're the only three that even know about the Castle outside of the Castle." Veronica sighed. "We don't know who is breaking in, but we've got it narrowed down to someone on this list." She sighed, looking over the long list of names.

"They go way back though, remember how far back those files went?" Mac asked, remembering the audio files they saw.

"Yeah, so it'll be easy to cross the dead off the list, but that would still leave a good chunk of people." Nish sighed.

"That's what I thought, at first." Veronica told them with a smile. "But then I got to thinking, it would have to be someone that even knows we have the list, that I stole the hard drive, that Mac was able to hack it, and that you have a list of names."

"What are you saying?" Nish asked.

"It's got to be someone that we've told." Mac was quick to follow her line of thought. "But I haven't told anyone, and not even Max."

"You can't point at me, I didn't tell anyone." Nish crossed her arms in front of her.

"Yes you did." Veronica stated, pulling out the list. "You told the lawyers in LA." She added. "You told them you had a list of all the names of a secret society, one that excluded females. And I'm going to assume you told them how you came about the list." She motioned at herself and then Mac.

"Yes, but I've been working with them for years on this." Nish sighed. "It wasn't anything new."

"No, it was proof." Veronica sighed, reading over the names. "Here it is." She highlighted the name and handed it over to Nish.

"Nell Throne?" Nish asked, looking at the name then back at Veronica. "I don't know any Nell's."

"No, but you know his granddaughter, Sam McFee." Veronica turned the computer on her desk to face the other two girls, showing a picture of the law firm Nish had been working with. "She works for her grandfather's firm. Nell is a part of the Castle, and he is the only person that would even know that we have this list. Other than Jake Kane, he's the only one that knows I know."

"Okay, so what are you going to do?" Nish asked.

"Me? No, you can drop the lawsuit." Veronica suggested. "Or you can call them on it, and see what's next on their list. Although I'm pretty sure they are smart enough not to leave a trail, even the smallest of ones."

"I'm not dropping any suit, what they are doing isn't fair or right. The people on the list, it proves dirty Politian's, scandals, everything." Nish told them shocked that they would never think she would give any of that up. "It's sexiest, and the perfect story. Two birds one stone."

"Well then, we find out Thorne's secret, and pray that's enough to leave us alone, and you find yourself a new lawyer, someone that isn't connected to this list of people."

"But what's to stop him from telling anyone else?" Mac asked. "What's to stop the next lawyer from being bought out? What's the stop them from finding a way to shut us up?"

"That's my point." Veronica said pointing to her friend. "There is no way of stopping them. This whole thing, the Caste, it's bigger than us Nish, bigger than we thought it was. I can't tell you what to do, but I can suggest that for all of our safety, you think about it, all of it. And in the mean time, I'll be keeping this." Veronica took back the list of Castle members, the same one she had given to her.

"How do you know I don't have copies?" Nish asked.

"Because you told me this was your only copy." Veronica shrugged. "So unless you've got a better idea, on how to put a stop to Nell Thorne, I think we're done here."

"You sure do like to boss people around, is it a size complex?"

"I'd prefer to think of it as a job perk." Veronica smiled. "Of course if you're unhappy with me, you can always take your business elsewhere."

"Fine Mars, I'll think about it." Nish rolled her eyes before leaving the office building.

"Do you really think she is going to call it off?" Mac asked.

"No, but it doesn't matter now, because I've got a copy of the members, and the guy we're looking for." Veronica informed Mac, as she came around to look at the computer screen.

"So you've got a plan?"

"Bond always has a plan." Veronica nodded.


	27. Chapter 27

The things about plans are that they don't always work. You can sit there, and make out every little detail in your head, come up with exactly what you're going to say, how you're going to convince your semi boyfriend and overly protective father let you have a girls weekend in LA, how you're going to break into a law firm and look around, even how you're going to lie to yourself, so that you believe what you're doing is safe, and smart. But that's the thing about plans, you can't fact plan out every detail, or how the other people are going to react, or even those you don't expect to react.

"You've got to be kidding me." Veronica muttered under her breath when the red and blue lights began to flash behind her. She could tell by looking in the rear view mirror it was Leo.

"Were you speeding? I didn't think we were going that fast." Mac wondered as they pulled to the side of the road.

"I can handle this." She rolled her eyes, watching in the side mirror as one of her exs got out of this car, and moved to approach on the passenger side.

"Good morning Veronica, friend." Leo said smiling at the two girls when he looked into the car.

"Howdy there Leo, what can we do for you on this fine morning?" Charm, he liked her, found her attractive, she could use that to her advantage.

"Where you headed to?" Leo asked, looking towards the morning sun and then back into the car. Veronica knew he was stalling.

"Going up to LA, girls weekend and all." Mac wanted to help, she needed to do something.

"You're not going to like this then." Leo sighed, leaning into the car window a little more. "I have to ask both of you to step out of the car, and keep your hands where I can see them."

"Excuse me?" Veronica nearly choked. What the hell was he talking about?

"I'm sorry Veronica, I don't want to do this anymore than you want to. But I've got to take both of you down to the station." Leo told her.

"Why?"

"Got a phone call this morning about a the Kane break in and you two." Leo explained. "Look I'm just doing my job, please don't make it any harder."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Veronica rolled her eyes.

"I just have to take you both down for questioning. Then I can bring you back and you can continue on your way." Leo wanted to stay in her good graces. He had seen firsthand what happened to those that didn't. "Shouldn't take more than a few hours."

"Leo, do we really need to go through the whole stepping out of the car thing?" Veronica asked, head tilt in action. "You and I both know that neither of us are criminals." She motioned between Mac and herself.

"Veronica, you know I'm just doing my job." He gave her a tight smile.

"Can we follow you?" Veronica asked. "I promise not to take off, you can even stay behind me." She knew if she went willingly it would be over sooner than later, and give her and Mac a chance to speak.

"Yeah, that'd be fine, but please don't try anything funny. Vinnie will want to see you ASAP."

"Well then, we better not keep our fine sheriff waiting."

Mac waited until the car was moving again to speak, her whole face pale white, her eyes filled with terror. "What are we going to do?"

"Nothing." Veronica looked over at her quickly. "Something about all of this, it seems to perfect."

"Too perfect? We're going to the sheriff's department to be questioned Veronica! About a crime that we actually committed. Somehow the word perfect isn't coming to mind"

"Think Mac, turn on that super brain of yours and think about it. We try to leave to take care of this Castle business, and we're being called in because of Jake Kane, over something that happened like two months ago." She was trying to make her brain work overdrive and figure out how they all fit together. She knew how it all connected, but she didn't know how Jake found out, or why he'd want to stop her.

"Obviously the castle doesn't want us messing around with them." Mac looked at her. "What are we going to say to the sheriff, I can't lie, not like you."

"I'll do all the talking." Veronica told her friend.

"And when they separate us, and shine that light in our faces?" Mac asked, her tone completely serious, making Veronica laugh.

"Mac you've been waiting way too many Miami Vice reruns." She told her friend. "They aren't going to shine any lights in our faces. And this is Vinnie VanLowe we're dealing with. He couldn't come up with a hard question even if he tried Mac."

The station was the same as always when her father wasn't running it, a mess. Even though it was clear that Vinnie was better at his job than Lamb had been, it was still easy to see how relaxed everything was, how easy it would be to slip into the evidence room if needed.

"If it isn't my favorite blonde, and look at that she brought a friend. It must be my birthday. Come to see me, maybe ask me a few questions, or give me a few answers, maybe a surprise?" Vinnie asked when Veronica walked through the room, Leo behind her.

"Actually, I think you've got the questions to ask this time, VanLowe." Veronica crossed her arms and looked up at him, thoroughly annoyed.

"I do?" anyone could see that he was trying not to make it sound like a question, but clearly confused by what she meant.

"Take a seat in the back room, please." Leo suggested, pointing towards the door, but making no effort to escort the girls.

"I do have questions for you Mars." Vinnie told her as she walked past him. "Very important one's regarding your little boyfriends disappearance."

"And here I thought it had to do with Jake Kane." Veronica threw over her shoulder.

"Right, that too." Vinnie nodded.

"See, too perfect." Veronica rolled her eyes. Before the door was closed behind them.

"Tomato, care to explain?" Vinnie asked pulling the deputy away from the business of the station and ear shot of everything else. "I don't like being made a fool of, especially in front of Mars."

"It's D'Amato, sir. We got a call sir, I'm sorry I thought you would have seen the message by now." Leo tried to explain.

"What message? I don't have time for messages, I'm trying to fight crime here." He complained, his eyes scanning around the room.

"Someone called it in at about 5 this morning, requesting that we pick up Veronica before she was able to leave town today. Saying that they had proof of her stealing a hard drive from the Kane mansion, and then later returning it."

"And?" he asked. This was only news.

"I called the Kane's and the head of security encouraged us to follow protocol." Leo stated. "I figured you would want to stay in the good graces of the Kane's, and did just that. Followed protocol, and brought them in." he glanced back at the door, and started to wonder if maybe he was doing the wrong thing. Veronica wouldn't do anything to hurt anyone, or steal. She was nosy, but a good person. "He also suggested holding them as long as the law allowed.

"We're going to need more than words from some head of security than." Vinnie said after a moment of thinking. "I need actually confirmation from Jake Kane himself, and to follow-up on this phone call quickly. Mars will be out of here in a matter of hours if we don't find something to hold on her."

"You're seriously going to detain Veronica Mars?" he wanted to make sure.

"Do I look like I'm kidding about this? I've been dreaming about this day." Vinnie half laughed walking away from the young man.

It took nearly five hours before they were given their first phone call, Vinnie claiming to forget that they were there, and apologizing, laying it on thick when Cliff showed up. Then it only took 20 minutes for them to actually get out of the Sheriff's office and out to Veronica's car where her father stood, not looking pleased.

"Care to explain?" Keith asked his daughter.

"Trust me dad, I wish I could." Veronica rolled her eyes.

"Well you better figure out how to." Keith was demanding answers, and demanding them now.

"Honestly Keith." Cliff started. "They had some phone call claiming to have evidence, none that they would present, and a phone call they couldn't trace. They couldn't hold them any longer, they shouldn't have held them at all."

"Vinnie isn't the type to mess around unless there is something in it for him." Keith muttered trying to understand. "You girls okay? They didn't violate your rights?"

"No, other than making us wait for to use the phone." Veronica rolled her eyes.

"You didn't call my parents did you Mr. Mars?" Mac asked.

"No, should I have?" Keith asked.

"Thank god." She breathed a sigh of relief. "We're good then."

"Logan?" Veronica asked."

"I didn't call him, but he's probably wondering why he hasn't heard from you, since you should have made it to LA by now." Keith told his daughter. "But I don't think I'm comfortable with the two of you taking off now, you'll be driving during dusk and rush hour."

"Yeah, I guess our weekend plans are ruined." Veronica leaned back on her car and sucked her bottom lip into her mouth to chew on while she thought over how her perfect contracted plan had all fallen apart. "I really wish I knew who made that phone call."

"Yes well I think you should be worrying about other phone calls you're going to need to make." Mac sighed, leaning next to her friend. "I should call my parents and let them know we're still in Neptune, and not going to LA."

"Yeah, I suppose I should go and see Logan." Veronica sighed. "Thanks for coming Cliff, and sorry for making you worry dad."

"It's okay honey, just try to stay out of trouble will ya?" he asked hugging her before turning to his friend. "So what, do I owe you a beer."

"Make it two and a late lunch." Cliff said before nodding a goodbye at Veronica and Mac.

"Want to go to the Grande with me?" Veronica asked, hopping she'd say yes. She knew that Logan would be less suspicious, or vocal about it with Mac around. So she would keep her close at all times even if meant dealing with the awkwardness between her and Dick.

"What else am I going to do today since we're not breaking and entering anywhere." She shrugged her shoulders before following suit and climbing into the passenger side of her friends car.

"You know Q, I have to say that I was impressed with the way you handled Vinnie, you didn't freak out like you were in the car." Veronica said. "You were very Bond like."

"Yeah well, I don't handle pressure well until I'm actually in the middle of the situation." Mac shrugged. "But I wouldn't go comparing myself to you. I was sure that any minute he was going to be able to read my thoughts and we'd be screwed."

"Well he didn't, and you looked like a pro in there, throwing questions back at him. Have you been taking law classes without telling me?"

Mac laughed at the idea of her in law class. "You're funny." She nodded her head looking out the window. "Me in a law class. It's like early morning hikes and physical activities where you sweat." Mac rolled her eyes. "I only plan on doing it once."

"Oh Bronson." Veronica smiled thinking about to the start of their freshman year of college. "Those days seem so far away."

"Good, let's leave them there." Mac sighed.

Veronica was saved by the news of Dick spending the day with his dad when they arrived at the hotel. Tina had been so nice to greet 'Veronica, Logan's girlfriend' with the information when they arrived at the hotel. But the news did make the ride in the elevator just a little strained.

"So, Dick." Veronica said, unsure of how to even approach the subject with Mac. They never actually talked farther about it since that day in the hospital, but she had seen the looks, and the swollen lips.

"We don't have to." Mac said looking at Veronica with pleading eyes. She didn't want to get into it, that much was clear.

"Okay." Veronica nodded as the doors dinged open announcing their arrival.

The hotel room door was opened as they approached, Amy looking annoyed pushing a cart of food out the door.

"Thank god." She muttered at the sight of the two girls in the hallway.

"Everything okay?" Veronica asked, looking at the cart before following her back into the room.

"That handful warning you gave me, well I now understand it." Amy rolled her eyes. "He's been in a foul mood all day, and it got worse as the day went on."

"Great." Veronica sighed, setting her stuff down on the couch. "Maybe I should have taken you home first." She looked at Mac.

"No, this should be fun to watch." Mac smiled at Veronica. "I just need some popcorn and a red bull and it'd be just like watching my very own soap."

"Who's here?" Logan yelled from his room. "I don't want to see anyone." He grumbled. "Oh, its you." He looked away when Veronica entered his room.

"Wow, nice to see you too." She stopped at the foot of the bed. "You know I don't have to be here. I could have gone home to sleep for a few hours, gone over to Mac's."

"Well don't let me stop you." Logan told her. "Since you're not supposed to be here anyways. You were supposed to be in LA two hours ago."

"Oh I see." Veronica said nodding with a smirk. "That's what this is about."

"What what's about?" Logan questioned.

"You acting like a chick, PMSing." Veronica laughed. "I didn't call you."

"And obviously you aren't in LA." Logan added. "So why don't you tell me what you're up to."

"Up to? Me? Why would I be up to something?" Veronica asked sitting down on the foot of his bed.

"That's cute, trying to act innocent, but I knew the second you stepped out of this room last night, saying you were off to LA for a girls weekend with Mac that you were lying. I'm not stupid Veronica I know you. And if you think I'm just going to be okay with whatever you're up to, because I'm stuck in a wheelchair, you're wrong." He shouted at her.

"Did you call in the tip to the sheriff's department?" Veronica asked looking at him with a tight mouth, feeling her own anger boil.

"What tip?" he asked.

"The one that kept Mac and I detained for the last five hours." Veronica shouted at him. "The one that made us miss our girls weekend."

"You weren't going on a girls weekend." Logan said folding her arms in front of him in anger, showing Veronica that his anger wasn't going to budge. "You and Mac don't do girl things, let alone weekends. So cut the crap."

Veronica thought for a moment. The whole reason they were in this situation was because she couldn't be honest, she would keep to many things from Logan, and he always ended up paying the price for her secrets. "Okay, fine. You're right we weren't going for a girls weekend. We were going to check out a law firm that Nish has been in contact with because I think they are the reason our cars are getting broken in to. But someone called in a tip saying they had proof that I broke into the Kane estate and took Jake Kane's hard drive. Mac and I were pulled over before we even got passed the 7/11. We were detained at the station until Cliff showed up, and I figured I better come over here and see you because I knew you'd be worried, which you clearly were."

"You're not invincible. When are you going to start believing that?" Logan asked in a whisper. "Look at me Veronica, we're not untouchable, I'm living proof of that."

"I know." She whispered back.

"Yeah but I don't think you get it." He looked at her finally, allowing her to see the tears in his eyes. "Remember the way you said you felt when I thought I was dead, when you had to go to the morgue? That's how I feel when I know you're up to no good, when I know I can't protect you."

"Logan…" Veronica said softly reaching out to touch him.

"No Veronica." he pushed her hand away. "Just don't. I think you should just go. I'm tired, and I don't feel like talking anymore."

"Fine." She sighed standing up. "But so you know, I'm going to take Mac home, then I'm going to go back to the apartment and take Back Up for a walk. I'm trying Logan." She whispered the last part before leaving him room.

"That didn't sound good." Mac noted when she came out of the room.

"Yeah, he pointed some things out that I've been refusing to see." Veronica sighed picking up her messenger bag. "Sorry about the mood Amy, I hope he wasn't too much of an ass."

"I've seen worse." Amy rolled her eyes watching the two girls leave the room in silence and what she couldn't help but note as defeat.


	28. Chapter 28

**AN: I had some really great feedback from ShanghaiLily, that got the wheels in my head turning faster than normal. And I got great news that they finally hired another preschool teacher at work. So there should be more updates now that I'll have more time. But be warned, this story is getting boring. So I am going to warp up the Castle/Gory stuff in the next update because I'm getting tired of writing about it, and than there are only a few more loose ends. So I hope you can enjoy what I've got left. And if you've got any questions ask them, sometimes I forget you don't live in my head.  
**

_The voice on the machine was auto tuned. It was easier compared to that of a robot than an actual person. But its message was none the less clear. And Leo knew that he had to do what was right, he had to follow up, but when the line started to ring, the person that answered the phone surprised him._

_"Kane residence, how am I help you?" the soft voice of a woman floated over the line._

_"This is Deputy D'Amato. I received a call from this number." _

_"Hold please." The woman said before a man quickly picked up._

_"You received the message?" a male asked in a strong and demanding voice._

_"Yes, we did, but I don't think I understand." Leo told him. _

_"It's rather simple deputy. I've supplied you with a cause. Now find her, and hold her for as long as you possibly can." _

_"No, I understand what you're asking, but that case has been closed. The changes were all dropped."_

_"Yes, well then, find another reason to hold her, or you'll be responsible for her death."_

_"Excuse me?" Leo asked, taken back. Veronica's death? He really didn't understand now._

_"I am sure you know that Ms Mars tends to find trouble, and she's messing with something even bigger than herself. So hold her, keep her from leaving town today. Surely the sheriff's department is capable of this."_

_"I'll leave a message for the sheriff." Leo shook his head trying to make sense of the conversation. What kind of trouble had Veronica gotten herself into now, and why was someone at the Kane estate concerned with it? But Leo had learned one thing over the years in Neptune, you don't question these people anymore than needed._

_"You see that you do." The line went dead._

Veronica waited, for what seemed like the longest 24 hours of her life before going back to the hotel, back to Logan. He had asked for space. No, he had asked her to leave. She had been so stunned and shocked at the words that she didn't feel like she had much of a choice at the time. It was clear that he was serious, and she needed to think over his words. His words that still seemed to hang in the air wherever she went. The feeling of losing him forever was still fresh in her mind, and she couldn't imagine going through that every time she stepped out of the room, feeling that way when he didn't pick up his cell phone. But she knew that's what he went through, the dark places his mind would take him. And she knew he had very reason to go there. His mom had left him at school one day, and never come home again. Lilly had yelled at him through the phone a few nights before her own death, and even his father. They had argued in the elevator lobby before his death. So many people had left without so much as a goodbye, and it was easy to see how Logan would think the same thing could happen to Veronica.

She was a horrible person for allowing him to feel like that and she knew it. No normal girlfriend, or even friend allow it. But Veronica knew that she did nothing to reassure him. She only knew how to place herself in harms way, it was like a second nature to her. She didn't know how to not go after serial rapist and murders, they were things that helped define her. But maybe it was time for her to find other things that helped form the person she wanted to become. Because she knew she couldn't keep going down this path if she wanted Logan in her life.

That was why she stood outside of his door, waiting. She couldn't just let herself in, sure wasn't sure if he was ready to see her yet. But she knew that she had to try, and keep trying until he was.

"Ronnie." Dick swung the door open. "I wondered when you'd be by today."

"Can I see him?" Veronica questioned rolling her eyes. She felt stupid, needing to ask permission.

"Nope." Dick popped his p. "But I'm not his delivery boy, so he can tell you himself." He stood aside and allowed her to enter the room before going towards his own bedroom. "Hey you talk to Mac today?" he asked standing in halfway in his own room.

Veronica wiggled her shoulders in pretend disgust. "Seriously Dick, you want to talk to me about my friend?"

"I just asked if you'd talk to her, god Ronnie get your panties out of a bunch." Dick gave her an annoyed look before closing his room door with his foot.

She didn't have time to think about what was happening on the other side of the room, with the other person that shared this space. She needed to work things out with Logan. She didn't like him being mad at her, she didn't like anyone being mad at her ever. With another deep breath to calm her nerves she knocked on his bedroom door softly before entering the room. "Logan?" she asked looking into the still dark room. She knew that it was Amy's day off. She has asked before she even started, needing to go back home for her twin's birthday.

"I figured you'd be by at some point." Logan huffed out, sounding thoroughly annoyed.

"I asked me to leave, so I did." Veronica told him.

"So I can ask again?"

"I get it you're mad at me, but can we talk about this, please." She didn't like to beg, she wasn't a beggar.

"No, because I really don't think you do get it. I don't think you see that this could have been you Veronica." Logan looked at her pointy. "They could have just as easily taken you instead, or whoever you piss off next. You told me not to mess with him because he's connected, but what are you doing?"

Veronica opened her mouth to respond, but closed it again. He was right, and that was a scary thing to admit.

"Veronica I love you, but I have to change, and if you're not willing to start making those changes with me, than I don't see how we can keep doing this."

What was that breaking sound? Was that her heart? She wasn't sure, because she wasn't sure she had ever felt this way before. She had just confessed a few short days ago that she loved him back, she had actually spoken the words, and now she was wishing that she could take them back, and put her iron shield back in place. But all of that would be steps backwards, and they needed to move forward.

"I don't know how to change." She spoke barely above a whisper into the dark room. "I don't know if I can change."

"It's something we can figure out together." Logan reached out into the dark for her, finding her arms and pulling her down onto the bed next to him. He didn't like knowing that his words hurt her, or knowing that she was doing everything she could to avoid crying. But he had reached a point where he didn't know how else to get it through her thick skull that the very danger she was trying to keep him from, she herself was messing with.

"Where do we start?" Veronica asked, leaning into his hand as he cupped her face.

"I find the beginning is always a good place to start." Logan smiled, resting his forehead on hers. "But maybe you could start by telling me how _we_ got into this mess." He emphasized the word we, wanting her to know that he was right alongside her no matter what.

"We?" she questioned.

"Gory did try to kill me." The way he said it made Veronica stomach drop, it was so nonchalant, not a big deal at all to him anymore.

"Don't say it like that, like it's not a big deal." Veronica told him.

"But it's not, it's over, it happened. The FBI is taking care of it." Logan told her. They had only briefly talked of the FBI and their involvement in the case, it was an awkward subject to bring up. "Can we stay on topic here?"

"Which one?"

"How do you know Gory and where does Jake Kane come into all this?" Logan asked.

Veronica pulled her bottom lip into her mouth to chew on. He really wanted to start at the beginning, and she wasn't sure she was ready to tell him that much. But she knew that if she wanted to make these changes he was talking about, she needed to tell him. They needed to move forward, and she wanted them to do it together.

With a deep breath, and pushing her hair back out of her face, she unleashed the whole story, every detail her mind had retained, every threat she had given on her way to finding Gory, and all the words exchanged between her and Jake Kane. She even shared with him how she had so stupidly been caught, her sweater getting caught, and her dad saving her by ruining evidence. She held nothing back from the tale, even offering to show him the list of names, and telling him about Jake's dirty little secret. At some point during her unloading, Veronica felt something change, or maybe it was return. She felt like her old self for a second, the girl that could so easily share things with her friends, share everything with the boy she liked. She hadn't felt that in a long time, even before Lilly's death.

"Wow." Logan said at the end of her tale. "So you're pretty much fucked no matter how you look at it."

"I wouldn't put it like that, but yeah, that's the way its feeling right about now." Veronica sighed, looking down at her fingers, playing with the long loose string of Logan's sweats. "The LA plan didn't work out."

"And you haven't figured out why they kept you down at the station for that long?" Logan asked. He agreed with her that it was odd that they held them for so long.

"None." Veronica looked back up at him. "Jake dropped the changes when I returned the hard drive, so even if they had evidence of what I did, it wouldn't matter because he's not pressing charges. It was like they wanted to keep us there."

"Maybe they did." Logan said after a moment of silence. "Maybe someone out there is trying to watch out for you, and knows what you're up to."

"Logan other than Mac and Nish you're the only other person that knows. So I doubt anyone else does."

"How can you be so sure? You said it yourself, that it seemed like they were trying to keep you there." Logan told her. "Maybe they've got your bugged or something, didn't the TA guy bug your phone?"

"Yes, and ever since then I check it regularly." Veronica rolled her eyes, not hearing how paranoid she sounded.

"And Mac and Nish, you check them too?" Logan questioned. "All I'm saying Veronica is that there is a reason you were stopped from going to LA. It might make you mad, but now that you've told me what you had planned, I'm relieved you guys didn't make it."

"Yes, you've made your point." Veronica pouted before he pulled her into his side and rest against him.

"Maybe it's time to drop it. You said it yourself, this whole thing is bigger than you, and its only bringing bad things." Logan pointed out. "Or maybe talk to those FBI guys."

"I know one person that works at the FBI, and she just works in the copy room." Veronica pointed out.

"Well then it's a good thing I've got the number of two agents, who are expecting to hear from me this week." Logan smiled down at her.

Veronica couldn't help but smile back up at him. Something about sharing all that information made her feel closer to him than anything else had, even sex.

"I broke up with Piz." She whispered.

"I know." He laughed back down at her.

"What do you mean you know? I only did it two days ago." Veronica asked.

"Two days was all it took then for word to spread." Logan pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Parker called me. She was mad, then sad, then sorry. It was a rather interesting conversation."

"Sounds like it." Veronica slide her arms around his propped up torso and hugged him, breathing in his scent. "I think Mac and Dick are dating, or whatever it is you want to call it."

"Then you should probably know that he's married." Logan smiled into the top of her head before kissing her hair.

"What!" Veronica screamed pushing away from Logan and shooting out of the bed.


	29. Chapter 29

"What do you mean it was a one time thing!" Veronica shouted at the blond. "You are married! You cannot be hooking up with Mac, and have a wife. No, no, no, bad Dick!"

It was like scolding a puppy. Dick didn't seem to understand anything Veronica was saying to him. Just because the paperwork wasn't finalized, it was in his mind.

"Go easy on him." Logan shouted from the bedroom.

"Man I can't believe you told her. Some kind of best friend you are." Dick shouted back at him.

"What were you thinking?" Veronica asked.

"She was-" Dick started.

"No." Veronica stopped him, putting her hand up. "I don't really want to know. All I want to know is that you've told Mac."

"Why would I tell the Macster?" Dick asked, looking at her like she was crazy. "We don't do a whole lot of talking, if you know what I mean."

"She knows what you mean." Logan laughed.

"I don't need your help." Veronica shouted over her shoulder. "And I don't care. You will tell her, or I will, and heavens help you Dick, remember that you should fear me."

"Ronnie, you're like…what's the word?" His face scrunched up in through. "Acting too much."

"Over reacting?" Veronica asked.

"Yeah, that's it, you're over reacting. This thing with Mac and I is casual. She's got a boyfriend, I know that."

"Does she know you have a _wife_?" Veronica asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest, and looking down at the blond on the couch.

"Fine." Dick said standing up, and pushing his hair back with one hand. "If it's that big of a deal I'll tell her. But I'm telling you, it's not going to matter."

"That's where you had I differ in reality. It's going to matter!" Veronica told him.

"She should be here in any minute anyways. She called looking for you. You should probably check your phone, I guess it's off." Dick said before disappearing back into his own room.

"How could you let this happen?" she asked appearing back in front of Logan.

Logan could do nothing but laugh when he looked at her. Her checked flushed from the anger, her hair tussled from getting up from the bed so quickly and her hands perched on her hips. If he had thought that she could lay next to him without thinking about everything they just talked about, he wouldn't have said anything. But he knew that she needed to have more on her mind than his opinion on everything she revealed. And he couldn't lie, he didn't like the fact that Dick was seeing Mac. He thought of her as one of a few unharmed by growing up in Neptune.

"How did it even happen?" She huffed as she started a pace back and forth in front of him.

"As much as I love watching you walk, I can't exactly get up and wrap my arms around you, so will you come here, please." Logan asked.

Veronica blew out a deep breath and went back over to the bed. "What makes you think I want your arms around me?" she asked.

"You've wanted me since you were 12, Mars."

"I think it was the other way around Echolls." Veronica smiled feeling the sense of safely and love surround her as Logan's uncasted arm did. "Seriously though, how did you let this happened?"

"I already told you, I'm not his keeper, I don't watch him every second of the day." Logan sighed, enjoying the warmth he got from her body. "You remember that day you were in the Grand, maybe a few weeks after…"

"Yeah, in the elevator." Veronica finished for him, neither wanting to acknowledge the fact that they weren't together because of another person. "You were with that kid."

"Heather, yeah. Well that would Dick's sister in law." Logan laughed. "He left the girl here with me, hopping she'd bring me out of my funk, or because he didn't want some 13 year old tagging along. Ended up married in Vegas. But it was over even before they got home, apparently she had freak toes."

"Well that all sounds very Dick like. Married in Vegas, freak toes, the whole kit and caboodle."

"He's not a bad guy, and you know it."

Veronica though for a moment. She thought about how Dick was the person that drove her around when she hadn't slept for two days. He was the guy that held her hand the whole way to the hospital to see Logan. Maybe Logan had another point, maybe he wasn't as bad as she always made him out to be. But then she remember how he had encouraged Cassidy to take advantage of her, he was the one who helped forward the video of her. So he might not be bad, but he certainly wasn't good.

It wasn't much longer before they heard the knock on door and because Veronica was much faster than Dick she beat him there.

"Your phone is off." Mac stated looking at her friend.

"Yes, well I'm starting to wonder about your spidy senses, as well." Veronica threw back at her, eyeballing the blond as they moved farther into the suite.

"I never claimed to have any. You're Bond, I'm mealy Q."

"Even Q has his moments."

"Macliscous." Dick smiled at her looking her up and down.

"No." Mac's face didn't weaver even for a second as she dismissed Dick's nickname. "Look we need to talk." She said turning back to Veronica.

"Well I figured as much, seeing as you're here." Veronica smiled, sitting down on the couch, and pulling one leg up.

"Somewhere private?" Mac suggested, eyeing Logan's open door, and then glancing over at Dick.

"Private, girl talk? This is something I've dreamt about." Dick nodded.

"Is this regarding the break ins?" Veronica asked, ignoring Dick.

Mac only nodded her head.

"We can go to Logan's room, he already knows, _everything_." She placed extra emphasis on the word to get her meaning across. "And when we're done, I believe Dick wants to talk to you as well, right Dick?" Veronica asked, getting up and looking up at the tall blond.

"Yeah, but you know secrets don't make friends." Dick told her.

"Should have thought about that before keeping one." Veronica responded, pulling Mac into the bedroom, and closing the door behind them.

"Mac, nice to see you again." Logan said from the bed.

"Logan, you do look more alive than the last time I saw you." Mac told him.

"The love of a good woman can do that." Logan said winking at Veronica.

"So what did you want to tell me?" Veronica asked.

"I need you to listen to me, all the way through, and know that I am being serious." Mac said looking her right in the eye, something that was unusual for her to do. She was so much more passive than this. "We are dropping this, right now. We are not going to deal with it anymore. You are going to turn over everything you have to Jake Kane, and we are washing our hands of the whole mess. This is way bigger than anything you've ever done, and I refuse to let you keep it up."

Her words were so fast, that Veronica wasn't sure if she even stopped to take a breath.

"Well I couldn't agree more." Logan said clapping his hands. In the short time that he had gotten to know Mac, he had never seen her confront Veronica, or anyone like that. It was hot.

Veronica nodded her head slowly before speaking. "You're right." She whispered. It was easier to admit to Mac than to Logan. "I'll go over there tomorrow and give them the list, and be done."

"Thank you." Mac said before doing something else very unusual, and pulling her best friend into a hug. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet." Veronica sighed. "Just because we give back what we have, doesn't mean they will leave us alone."

"Jake will make sure of it." Logan said from his bed. "He knows that you are more than capable of exposing all of them, and he will make sure everyone else sees that too."

"Logan's right." Mac added. "But why does Dick need to talk to me?"

Veronica pulled her bottom lip in and looked back at Logan before facing her friend. "He has something to tell you. And I suggest you go find out what it is." She nodded hurriedly before opening the door for her to leave.

"Just don't kill him, he's a great roommate some of the time." Logan laughed before Mac was left standing on the other side of the door.

"Dick…" Mac half whispered outside of his room door. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear what he had to say, because she wasn't sure if she had anything to say to him.

"Mackie." Dick half smiled at her, his hands in his pockets. He had been pacing the length of his room ever since his little talk with Veronica.

"Why do I get the feeling this isn't going to be good?" Mac asked.

"It's no big deal, I mean Ronnie is making it a big deal, but its really not." Dick said going to stand in front of her.

"Okay, then how about you just tell me what's up?" Mac asked. She was trying to remain calm and cool. She knew Dick's reputation, and she figured he would be ending things soon, whatever this thing was. She knew that she wouldn't be able to keep him interested, in fact she wasn't sure if he'd be able to keep her interested and engaged for very long.

"I'm married. But its like no big deal because we've already filed for divorce, and I haven't even seen her since May. But Logan went and told Veronica, and she said that I was going to have to tell you. So it's like no big deal, at all, right?" he was suddenly unsure of how she would take the news. Most girls, the girls he was use to hooking up with wouldn't care, but Mac wasn't like all the other girls, she was actually smart.

Mac stood frozen staring at him, unsure of what to say. He was married? How did she even feel about that.

"Mac?" Dick asked after a few minutes of silence. "It's no big deal, you've got a boyfriend, I've got a wife."

His words made everything snap into place, and her feelings become clear. "I broke up with Max." she whispered. "Oh god, I broke up with Max so I could be the other woman." With huge eyes she looked up at him. "I'm the woman Veronica takes pictures of, the cheating spouse."

"What?" Dick asked. "No, the papers have been signed, they just have to be filed and the whole thing is taken care of." Suddenly he knew that Veronica was right. Damn her for always being right.

"I am a horrible person." Mac whispered stepping back, out of Dick's reach, and his bedroom. "I am a completely terrible person."

"No-" Dick says following her.

"I have to go. I need to go." Mac said looking up at him. "You're married, and I'm the other woman." She shakes her head as another thought dawns on her. "Oh god, I'm probably not the only one."

"the only one?" Dick asks confused.

"You're Dick Casablancas. Oh god, what's wrong with me, what the hell was I thinking?" she asks, to herself before looking up at him one more time. "Oh god." Was all she said before turning and leaving the hotel room.

"Mac!" Dick shouted after her, flinching when the door slams shut before her.

"Told you it was going to matter." Veronica sighed from the other door frame, opposite his room.

"She wouldn't even had to know if it wasn't for you!" Dick said suddenly getting mad and yelling at Veronica. he didn't like the way Mac had looked at him when he told her, and it was Veronica's fault. "The whole thing is final next week, she never would have needed to know. But no, you had to go sticking your nose where it doesn't belong, and now look!" he pointed towards the door. "She's your best friend, and she's hurt because of you. So I really hope that you're happy now Ronnie, I hope you get your sense of justices." With that he turned back to his room and slammed his own door shut leaving Veronica alone.


	30. Chapter 30

**AN: This has been rewritten, not all of it, just some of the convo between Mac and Veronica.**

Despite his anger, Dick knew he wasn't being fair. It wasn't Veronica's fault. She was doing what any good friend would do, looking out and protecting those they cared for. Dick knew that if roles were reversed, he wouldn't have given Veronica the opportunity to fess up, he would have gone right to Logan himself, with a bottle of Jack of course.

God he could sure use a drink right now. _No._ he reminded himself. _You feel more when you're sober. Like that first kiss, damn that was a good kiss. Not the time Dick, come on, stay on task here._

But Dick also learned a very young age, if there was someone else to blame, then surly it wasn't your fault. He rarely had to take responsibility for the miss haps in his life, and he had learned by example, his father, who never took responsibility when things went wrong.

So that was what lead him to the small hallmark store in downtown Neptune. He knew, that with rows and rows of cards, there had to be one that said "I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was married, but I promise to next time." _No, that doesn't sound right. Maybe just a, Sorry I'm a jack ass card? Yeah, that's good to be easier to find._

Conversations with himself were something he picked up after Cassidy…after becoming the lone Casablancas in Neptune. It gave him someone to talk to about all those things he couldn't say to Logan but used to share with his brother. _ I wonder if they make a card that say "Sorry my brother was a shitty boyfriend and swan dived off the roof of the hotel I live in." Nah that'd be too much, and not enough demographic. Oh what about this one._

He reached out and read the card over once before putting it back. He had never done anything like this, bought a card for someone. He had never felt this bad either about hurting a girl before. So he wasn't really sure how to proceeded, but he was determined to find a card that would work.

_Those Hallmark people get paid to write up the apologizes I can't think up. I bet they make a lot of money off cheating spouses. Hey maybe that's where I should be looking._

He moved along to another section, quickly passing over the Thank You, and Get Well Soon selections.

"Can I help you?" a little old woman asked, her grey hair cut short and curled, reminding Dick of the way his own grandmother looked when he was younger.

"Yeah, I-" he stopped himself, shaking his head. _Come on Dick, you can do this._ "I'm just looking but thanks lady." He knew that it would mean more, and maybe just to him, if he did this himself. He would find the card. He wouldn't ask for help, he'd deal with his mistake on his own.

Across town Mac sat next to Veronica on the Hearst campus. Her eyes brows kitten together, looking down at her hands in concentration.

"You're going to hurt yourself if you think that hard Mac." Veronica tried to joke. She wanted to make the Dick connect, something about thinking that hard about him, but she knew that would only put Mac off even more.

"Maybe that's my problem?" Mac offered after a moment looking up at her friend. "I stopped thinking, and maybe that's the problem, the reason I let all of this happen."

"You didn't let anything happen Mac, Dick did by withholding the truth." Veronica would not let her friend blame herself for this.

"Yeah, but I was the one that didn't put a stop to it. Kissing him was just so damn easy. I didn't even tell him that I broke up with Max, so obviously he was okay with being the other guy. I mean what type of guy is okay with that, what normal person is okay with that?" Mac sighed. "I wasn't. I broke up with Max because it was killing me to do that to him."

"No one ever said that Dick was normal." Veronica didn't know what to say to her. The ways Mac mind work was so different from her own, and so different from the only other girl she had been close to.

"I knew this would happen sooner or later. I mean I'm no you, and he surely isn't Logan. Just because I should have been Madison doesn't mean that I can cross that line. I'm not from his world, and he's not from mine. I like simple things, and tofu, he likes drinking and one night stands."

Mac leaned back onto the bench and looked up at the sky before looking back at Veronica. "Don't get mad, but I'm not even upset that he's married. I'm upset that I became this person. I'm the other woman, Dick was the other guy, and it doesn't even seem to bother him, at all, that he was my other guy." She rolled her eyes, looking back out over the campus. "I broke up with a guy that I had so much in common with, just because I liked kissing him."

"Wait a second." Veronica said turning to fully face Mac. "You don't care that he's married?"

"I guess I'm just not surprised." Mac rolled her eyes. "But I became a cheater and the other woman. All within a matter of weeks. I've become a terrible person, the person you take pictures of at the Camelot. You hate Dick, I mean what was I even thinking, knowing all he's done to you in the past!"

"First off, I would never, ever take a picture of you there because you would never ever go there, even with Dick, or Brad Pitt. And secondly you're not a terrible person. You like him Mac, even if you can't admit it, you like something about him. That's the only reason you'd be able to put up with him." Veronica told her with a small smile. "You don't need to be hard on yourself. I honestly don't you think and Max would have made it through the summer anyway."

"Why?" Mac wondered. She had thought they were pretty good together. I mean yes, he had a different set of morals, he helped people cheat, but she wasn't much better, with the purity test in high school and all.

"Because your moral compasses are pointing in different directions. Max helps people cheat, that's more important to him than his own future and education. I don't see you being okay with that for much longer." Veronica smiled.

"You've got a point."

"I hate to admit this, but I think you had Dick would have fun together." Veronica sighed. It was true. IF Dick was serious about Mac, she could see them together. Mac would keep him grounded, and Dick would be able to get her to open up a little more, explore more of the world.

"Just a few hours ago you were making him confess that he was married, and now you think we would have fun together?" Mac reached out and touched her forehead. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm not saying you're soul mates. But you shouldn't let my strong dislike towards him stand in the way of your feelings. You are free to like whoever you want, despite my personal opinion of them. And Dick maybe, he's changed, grown up since high school. I don't think he would slash my tires now if it's any comfort."

"No, he'd just send around a video of you and Piz." Mac rolled her eyes again. There was no painting this boy in a good light.

"Yeah, but he's also the guy that held my hand the whole way to the hospital when they found Logan." Veronica offered. "Things between Dick and I will always be, strained, but that shouldn't affect the way you feel about him."

"So you won't think I'm a cheating, horrible person, if I see him?" Mac asked in a small voice. She had never felt the need to get Veronica's approval before, but she knew the history between the two was dark.

"If you're happy, and okay with the fact that he's married, than so am I." Veronica laughed before pulling her into a hug.

"Can that be our quota of girl talk for the rest of our lives?" Mac laughed.

"Absolutely." Veronica laughed pulling back. "If we're done with being girls, let's go do something manly, like throw down with the King of Neptune."

"I feel like we should have a punch card to document the times we go to see Jake Kane."

"On the tenth time we're finally granted access?" Veronica asked.

"I don't want to waste that much time."

"Well then good, because I just happen to know where the man lives."

"Oh goody."


	31. Chapter 31

**AN: I'm going through and updating chapters, adding little parts that I felt were missing, and fixing errors. The last chapter had been changed slightly.**

Things in Neptune seemed to return to normal. Veronica and Mac turned over everything they had on the Castle, and told Jake that they were done. They no longer wanted to know anymore, and Veronica wished that she could unknow so many of the things she already did. Jack had agreed that it was for the best that they no longer look into this 'case', and even waved them off when they left. Veronica was reminded of Lilly and Duncan's father and not just Jake Kane that day.

With that weight lifted off their shoulders, both girls had their own relationship drama to tackle. Things with Logan and Veronica had seemed to come to a stand still, neither wanting to take the first step in defining their relationship status. Mac and Dick seemed to have better luck. With Dick's stupidly perfect card about knowing he doesn't always say the right thing, and Mac tell him that it didn't matter, they seemed to find a common ground to go back to making out, because frankly Mac wasn't sure she wanted it to go past that.

And with that, time passed, and Logan started to heal slowly. He was now doing physical therapy once a week to work on his healing arm, and soon his leg. He was also seeing a therapist to deal with everything that had happened during those two days, and maybe even his past as well.

And that was how he ended up in the passenger side of Veronica's car.

It was his nature that made him curious, or maybe it was Veronica rubbing off on him, but with the paper clutched tightly in his hand, he knew there was no going back.

Veronica had left him in the car when she ran into Cho's to pick up their take off after this physical therapy. Leaving him alone in the car was her first mistake, he was nosy, he had picked it up from her, and her lack of trust over the years. That and his ability to be quickly bored had lead him to look through the console in her car, and discover the thick white envelope with Veronica's name printed clearly on it.

If he hadn't recognized the hand writing, maybe he wouldn't have opened it. Maybe he would have left there, buried under medical notes, insurance papers, and print outs from Hearts. But he had recognized the writing, he knew it just as well as hers, his own, and the other side's that once made them the Fab Four.

_Dear Veronica,_

_I'm writing you a letter, a real letter. I feel like this has become a lost art. No one writes anymore, everything is digital. It's funny, that coming from me, son of software tycoon and what not. But it's safer, and more real this way. I know you need to it be real, something you can hold onto and feel. I can't even imagine how hard this has been for you, losing me, losing Lilly all over again. If there had been another way, I would have done it, I would have taken it, I hope you haven't forgotten that. For the longest time you were the most important thing in my life, and neither of us were ready for that to change, for what the future had planned for us. But the future waits for no one, even young love._

_I want you to know that I am fine. Both Lilly and I are fine now, and it's all thanks to you. You believed in me, and put yourself on the line to help me, and I will never be able to repay you for that. Everything I have in my life I owe to you, because of what you did, what you risked for me, for Lilly._

_That's why I don't want you to worry. I am forming a somewhat normal life now and it's wonderful. I don't have to worry about the people around me liking me for me, because they don't know me. I finally get to be a different person, I get to step out of the shadows I was born in and discover who I am as a person, and not who everyone expects me to be._

_Discovering these things made me reflect on the past, on our past, and I cannot even begin to express to you how truly sorry I am for the way I treated you, for the things I did, didn't do. I know that I apologized before, but I think I finally realized the amount of pain I caused you, the way I helped develop your trust issues. You were such a loving girl before, before everything fell apart. And when we all should have been there for each other, we were turning our backs on each other and pushing as hard as we could. _

_ I am so very sorry Veronica for believing the things I was told about you, for believing that we could be related. At the time I thought it was best to protect you from something like that, to keep a secret of that size, that could cause that much pain, hidden. But now I understand how wrong I was. If I had truly wanted you in my life, and viewed you as my sister, I would have put a stop to everything, I should have, no matter what I thought. I failed you, and I will have to live with that forever._

_But that does bring me to my point. Love him Ronnie, you have to let yourself love him because he is exactly what you need, what you've always needed. I know that it's scary, and hard to understand. But you need him more than you think, and he is always going to need you because you're the only person he's let in, let himself love fully. He never loved Lilly the way he loves you, he never treats you the way he treated her. I hope that you can see that, I hope that the fortune cookie I gave you so long ago can still apply to your life, because I truly think it applied to the two of you. You're love story will never have an ending. _

_Your life it tied in with his, Veronica. So even if you can't forgive him, I hope that you can see that. I hope that you will remember my words to you, and read them repeatedly, until the paper is so worn and tore, that you can't see the ink anymore. _

_Love him, and let him love you._

_You won't be able to write me back. Because this is the last part of me I can leave with you, the last thing I can do for you. So take my advice, and use it. I made sure that this letter would be untraceable, and personally delivered. I can't risk everything you gave up for me, I won't do it no matter how much I miss you. You deserve to be happy now and forever._

_I will always love you._

_D. Kane_

Relief is what he should have felt, what any normal person what have felt. Duncan was pushing her towards him, giving her to him. And yet all he felt was anger, rage even. In Logan's mind Veronica was his, always his, even when they were 12, and when she was 14 holding hands with Duncan, and the night in the Grand when he was with Kendal and she was with Duncan. It made no sense, but he didn't often take time to understand why he felt the way he did when it came to the blond pixie.

If he had the capability to walk away, right now he would. He would slam the passenger side door of her Toyota, and leave. He would curse loudly, drink heavily, punch randomly. It was his thing, the way he dealt with stronger emotions, emotions that he often felt when dealing with the idea of Veronica and someone that wasn't him.

To most people the letter would seem like a good thing, a happy thing. They had Duncan's blessing, not that they needed it, but to them it was so much more. Logan knew how this letter would affect Veronica, the impact it would have on her. This letter was another life line, a reminder of what she could have had, that Duncan was out there somewhere, missing her, loving her. It wasn't that he thought Duncan was the love of her life, he wasn't stupid. He had seen their relationship up close, and he had lived theirs. There was no comparison between them, between the passion they had.

But Logan knew Veronica well enough to understand. She wouldn't be able to just let it go.

"The service in there has really gone downhill." Veronica's voice filled the silent car, cutting through Logan's anger. "They forgot the egg rolls, and made fresh rice."

He watched her load the bags into the seat behind the drives seat before opening her own door, and stopping to study Logan.

"What is that?" she asked, climbing into her seat.

He couldn't find his words, he didn't really have any. All he could do was hand over the letter.

"Logan, what is this?" Veronica asked looking down at the wrinkled papers and back up at him. She could feel the anger radiating off him in waves. It took her a moment, to place where the letter came from, how Logan had gotten it.

"You read this?" she whispered, only catching a few of the words written on the page, but understanding the message. She had left it there, buried for another day, a day when she could process the information clear headed. "You opened this?" her voice a little louder, feeling her own anger building.

"Yeah, I read it." Logan nodded.

"Was your name on the envelope, did I give you permission to read this, or look through my things?" With her breathing increased, she took many deep breathes, trying to stay in control of her emotions. After several minutes of silence she started the car. "I'll take you back to the Grand."

They said nothing to each other, just sat in silence. Even when they arrived, Dick was there, waiting to help him into his chair, and Veronica just sat in the drives seat. No words exchanged, no goodbyes spoken. But she didn't even make it back into the street before pulling into the parking garage and slamming her fists against the wheel, making the horn sound and echo through the lot.

"Damn it." She whispered, picking up the wrinkled pages and smoothing them out. She read over the letter four times, taking in a different meaning each time, different emotions.

Slamming her car door, and getting the food out of the back, she quickly and angrily made her way through the hotel, not bothering to smile at Tina. She pushed the up button several times, and didn't wait for the doors to close themselves when she was finally inside the elevator. She wasn't going to wait, let him wait. She shoved the key card into the door, and pushed it open when the light flashed green. Logan and Dick both looked stunned to see the angry blond as she sat the food down and tore open the bag.

"You are not going to ruin fresh egg rolls." Veronica said pointing and Logan with a pair of chopsticks. "I will not let you ruin them." she shouted, digging her food out of the bag before retreating to his bedroom, slamming the door behind her as well.

It was several minutes later that Logan wheeled himself into his bedroom, looking at the very irate blond sitting in the middle of his perfectly made bed.

"Ronnie?" he had never seen her like this, and wasn't sure where the landmines were. She normally had such great control over her emotions, and never shared them with anyone.

"You don't get to be mad. I get to be mad." She shouted at him, putting her chopsticks back into the open box. "I get to be mad that you read something that wasn't addressed to you. If I wanted you to read it I would have given it to you!"

"You never would have even mentioned it." Logan shouted back at her.

"You're right, because I don't care." Veronica said getting off the bed. "I don't care that he wrote me some stupid letter to tell me that I should love you. For heaven's sake, I already told you I loved you, some dumb letter from him wasn't going to make me do it. What Duncan Kane thinks, or say doesn't matter, because he choose to leave, and you never did."

"Yes, well now I get to watch you track him down, just think about how much fun that is going to be for me."

"You can be such a stupid fool." Veronica shook her head going to sit down on the bed next to where his chair was. "I am not going to be looking for anyone, because the only person I spend that much time tracking down has already been found." She took his hands in hers.

Logan had learned a long time ago how to tell if Veronica was lying. It was little things, the way her nose would flare, or she wouldn't be able to keep eye contact for longer than ten seconds at a time. Even the changes in her voice, he had picked them all up over the years, and learned to use them. But right then, looking for all those signs he was relived not to find any of them.

"You're a total jackass half the time, but I love you, with or without his blessing." Veronica's voice became soft. She hasn't spoken those words to him since the first time, several weeks ago.

"You have no idea how hot it is to hear you say that." Logan whispered, pulling her closer to him, resting his forehead on hers.

"Well as turned on as you might be, I'm still mad, and I was serious when I said you're not going to ruin my egg rolls." She laughed before doing something that surprised even herself. She pressed her lips quickly to his, before going back to the food containers she had left on the bed. It seemed so natural to kiss him, so normal.

"Egg rolls be damned." Logan laughed reaching onto the bed and pulling her back towards him, until she was seated on his lap, arms wrapped around each other, lips melting together. He had waited long enough to kiss her again, to kiss her knowing that she loved him. There was no way he was going to let his moment go because of some fresh egg rolls. When he pulled away, his hands on the sides of her face he smiled, and she laughed.

"So much better than fresh egg rolls." She told him, her arms going around his neck.

"Thank you." Logan mumbled into her hair.

"For what?" she asked.

"Coming back." He whispered said looking into her eyes. He needed her know how important this moment was in their relationship, it was a defining moment of their future together. Normally Veronica would have stormed off in anger, she would have stuck by the fact that she was right and the rest of the world was wrong.

Maybe there was something weird in the air that summer in Neptune, something that made everyone see things different, but it was something that also brought them together.

Veronica couldn't stand the thought of her life without Logan in it, and that was something Logan had long ago realized himself. They both knew though that they wouldn't change overnight, just like Logan's healing, it was going to be a process, one that they were doing together, and Veronica had taken the first step. She hadn't ran away from him, she went to him, and stayed until they worked it out. For whatever reason, Veronica Mars was tied to Logan Echolls, and she had no intentions of that ever changing.**  
**

**The End**


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